- Life notes / jeeva
- Gandhara (G2), Madhyama (M1) and Nishada (N2) are the jiva swaras, with kaisiki nishada (N2) the primary life-giving note; the phrase N2 N2 S gives the raga its unique personality, and Madhyama is a secondary life-swara.
- Resting notes / nyasa
- Sa and Ma, with Ma the anchor in the lower half of the octave (one source only; other sources do not state nyasa swaras).
- Signature phrases / prayoga
- Core identifying phrases N N S and G M P M G R S. Characteristic sancaras: NPNNS, NSGGM, GMNNS, NSGRS, GMGRS, NSNDM, SNDMPDMGRs, GMPMGRS; the janta pair NNS complemented by GGM. Per the SSP, the NPNNS leitmotif is rendered only in the mandara sthayi, becoming MNDMNNS in the madhya sthayi.
- Ornament / gamaka
- Gandhara (G2) takes a stress gamaka (nokku) or gentle kampita; nishada (N2) is emphasised via janta (doubled ni). Key gamakas fall on gandhara, madhyama and nishada, with denser oscillations on ga and ni; prolonged (deergha) kampita is avoided, particularly on gandhara.