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Question

In Indian classical music, which term is used to describe a note (swara) that appears rarely or only in select phrases rather than being frequently employed in a raga?

This question was previously asked in
UPTET 2026 Paper 2 Social Studies Question Paper (3-Jul-2026) (Shift 1)
The correct answer is

Alpatva

In raga theory, swaras are described using terms like Vadi (most prominent), Samvadi (second most prominent), Bahutva (frequently used), and Alpatva (used sparingly).

Alpatva specifically refers to a note that appears only occasionally or in select phrases of a raga, contributing subtle colour without being a dominant note.

Laya refers to tempo and Rasa refers to the emotional essence conveyed by music, so neither describes note frequency, and Bahutva describes the opposite (frequent) usage.

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