Basic Defintitions : The word swara (Sanskrit: स्वर) is derived from the root svr which means “to sound”. To be precise, the svara is defined from Sanskrit nirukta system as svaryate iti svarah (स्वर्यते इतिस्वरः, does breathing, shines, makes sound), svayam raajate iti svarah (स्वयं राजते इति स्वरः, appears on its own) and sva ranjayati iti svarah (स्व रञ्जयति इति स्वरः, that which colours itself in terms of appealing sound). Saarangadeva in Sangita Ratnakara says
