Glossary · glossary · 1 min read

Saptak

सप्तक; octave register

A saptak is an octave, spanning seven notes from Sa, one of Indian music’s basic notes, to the next Sa. The three named saptaks are mandra (low), madhya (middle) and taar (high).

By SJN, Founder, BeatRootRaga · Reviewed by BRR · Last reviewed 27 Sept 2026

What does saptak mean?

A saptak is an octave, the span of seven notes from one Sa to the next. Sa is one of Indian music’s seven basic notes: Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha and Ni. Three saptaks are named:

Mandra saptak is the low octave.
Madhya saptak is the middle octave.
Taar saptak is the high octave.

In writing, a dot below a note marks mandra, while a dot above marks taar. Online, an apostrophe after a note, as in Sa', often marks the upper octave.

This is a short definition. For the full explanation, read BeatRootRaga’s Sa Re Ga Ma: sargam explained for beginners. Sargam means singing or writing melodies with these note syllables.

An example of saptak and where to read more

Start on Sa and follow the seven note names until you reach the next Sa. This gives you an example of a saptak, an octave spanning one Sa to the next.

Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa'

The apostrophe after the final Sa marks the upper octave. Online, this is often used to show that the note belongs to the higher saptak.

In written notation, a dot above a note marks the taar (high) saptak. A dot below marks the mandra (low) saptak. The middle saptak is called madhya.

For more on reading these octave marks and the full explanation of saptak, continue to BeatRootRaga’s sargam learning page.

Keep going

Sa Re Ga Ma: sargam explained for beginners · Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha and Ni are Indian music’s seven basic notes; sargam means singing or writing melodies with these syllables. To read and sing sargam, choose your home Sa, follow the note names and octave marks, and recognise the natural, lowered and raised forms.