The Durga aarti heard at every Navratri garba — and the one household aarti in this collection that leans on a black key from its first phrase. The komal Ga in the opening is what gives it the plaintive colour that sets it apart from the white-key aartis.
The sargam, line by line
Sa is on C. Capital letters are shuddha (natural) swaras, lowercase is komal (flat), and a dot under a letter — written here as Ṇ — means the octave below. Each ▶ plays just that line on the keyboard above; turn on 🐢 Slow while you learn.
R g R g RAmbe tu hai JagdambeS SKaliThe same notes as Western keys
| Line | Keys | Sargam |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | D E♭ D E♭ D | R g R g R |
| 2 | C C | S S |
Harmonium notes in Hindi — हिंदी में सरगम
| रे ग॒ रे ग॒ रे | अम्बे तू है जगदम्बे |
| सा सा | काली |
Reading the harmonium notation
Harmonium notation and harmonium notes mean the same thing — different sites use different words for the same rows of letters. What follows is sargam, the Indian system, where every note carries a name instead of a letter. The table above gives the Western key for each one.
- S R G M P D N — Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni: the seven swaras. With Sa on C they are the white keys running up from C.
- Lowercase letters — komal, meaning flattened by a semitone. A komal swara is a black key.
- | — a phrase break, put there so the line is readable. It is not a bar line and you do not pause on it.
Ambe Tu Hai Jagdambe uses 3 of the twelve keys in the octave: Sa, Re, komal Ga. Ambe Tu Hai Jagdambe is not all white keys, which is exactly what the lowercase letters above are marking.
How to play it
- Find the komal Ga first. It is E♭, the black key just above D. The opening rocks between D and that black key — get the two under your fingers before you try the phrase.
- Rock, do not strike. R g R g is an oscillation, not four separate notes. Keep them legato: release each key only as the next one sounds.
- Land Sa softly. After the oscillation, the drop to Sa is the resolution. Give it length and let the bellows ease rather than punch it.
Common questions
What are the harmonium notes for Ambe Tu Hai Jagdambe?
With Sa on C, the opening seven notes are R g R g R S S — Re and komal Ga (E♭) alternating, then resolving to Sa. Two independent published notations agree on them exactly.
Is this the same as Jai Ambe Gauri?
No. Both are Durga aartis for Navratri, but they are separate compositions. Jai Ambe Gauri uses the white-key Om Jai Jagdish melody; this one opens on Re with a komal Ga and has its own tune.
Why only seven notes?
Because that is where the published sources stop agreeing. Beyond the opening they give different continuations, and we would rather print a short verified phrase than a long guessed one.
Is harmonium notation the same as harmonium notes?
Yes. Both names describe the same thing, and you will find Ambe Tu Hai Jagdambe published under either one. This page gives the notation three ways so you can use whichever you read fastest: sargam, Western key names, and Devanagari. Ambe Tu Hai Jagdambe draws on 3 of the twelve keys in the octave — Sa, Re, komal Ga.
Where to go next
- Jai Ambe Gauri — harmonium notes with the same follow-along player.
- Om Jai Jagdish Hare — harmonium notes with the same follow-along player.
- Happy Birthday — harmonium notes with the same follow-along player.
- All song notes — every song we publish, each with a follow-along player.
- The harmonium notes chart — sargam, komal and tivra, and the 10-thaat system.