CHAKRA : the chakra is the basic unit around which the 72 melakarta raagas are arranged. There are 12 chakras or sections, with each chakra comprising within it 6 mela ragas.
 

CHARANAM : is the third part (the concluding) of any composition or kriti in the Carnatic tradition.
 

CHATURANGA : (chatur-four, anga-parts) it is descriptive of the four parts of music - khayal, tarana, sargam and tirvata.
 

CHATURBHAAGA : is a unit of time equal in duration to half of an anudrutam.
 

CHATURDANDI : the most ancient swaras known in the Indian music. The swaras are udaatta, anudaatta and svarita of the vedic hymns. Panini refers to these 3 notes as the Aadi swaras.
 

CHATURTHA JATI : is a kind of taan which uses four notes in a single cluster as it moves.
 

CHATURDASA MURCHCHANAS : are the 14 murchchanas or scales that are born out of what is known as grama bheda.
 

CHEEZ (Urudu) : is used to refer to a khayal composition.
 

CHATURDHATU PRABANDHA : is a musical form which had all the 4 dhatus or sections - udgraha, melapaba, dhruva and abhoga.
 

CHATURMUDRA PRABANDHA : a composition containing any four of the dvaadasa mudras in its Sahitya.
 

CHATURTHA KALA : fourth degree of speed.
 

CHATURTHA RAGA VARDHANI : the fourth stage of the main part or the body of a raga aalaapana. Murchchana prastara or sanchaara in quick tempo is the main feature of this fourth part of the aalaapana.
 

CHATURTHA VIDARI : the concluding part of that section of the raga aalaapana known as chaturtha raga vardhani.
 

CHATUSHPADI : is devotional music, consisting of four padas.
 

CHAUKA KAALAM : slow tempo. A chauka kaala kriti is one in slow speed.
 

CHAUKAM : the style of singing raga aalaapana in slow tempo.
 

CHITTA SWARA : are a series of set swaras - geometires usually sung after the anupallavi and the charanam in a composition.