The solfege (sargam) is learnt in abbreviated form of swara: sa, ri (Carnatic) or re (Hindustani), ga, ma, pa, dha, ni, sa. Of these, the first that is “sa”, and the fifth that is “pa”, are considered anchors that are unalterable, while the remaining have flavors that differs between the two major systems.

The swaras in Carnatic music are slightly different in the twelve-note system. There are three types each of Rishabha, Gandhara, Dhaivata and Nishada. There are two types of Madhyama, while Pancham and Shadja are invariant. In Carnatic Music, swaras have prakruti and vikruti swaras. The vikruti swaras are Ri, Ga, Ma, Da and Ni. The rest — Sa and Pa — are prakruti swaras

Equivalencies

Western	Carnatic					Hindustani
Note	Name		Short forms		Alt	Name	Short forms
C	1	Shadjam	Sa	S		Shadj	S	S
Db	2	Suddha Rishabham	Ri1	R1		Komal Rishab	kR	R1
D Ebb	3	Chatusruthi Rishabham	Ri2	R2		Suddh Rishab	R	R2
		Suddha Gantharam	Ga1	G1	G0
D# Eb	4	Shatsruthi Rishabham	Ri3	R3		Komal Gandhar	kG	G1
		Saadarana Gantharam	Ga2	G2	G1
E	5	Antara Gantharam	Ga3	G3	G2	Suddh Gandhar	G	G2
F	6	Suddha Madhyamam	Ma1	M1		Suddh Madhyam	M	M1
F#	7	Prati Madhyamam	Ma2	M2		Tivra Madhyam	tM	M2
G	8	Panchamam	Pa	P		Pancham	P	P
Ab	9	Suddha Dhaivatham	Da1	D1		Komal Dhaivat	kD	D1
A Bbb	10	Chatusruthi Dhaivatham	Da2	D2		Suddh Dhaivat	D	D2
		Suddha Nishadham	Ni1	N1	N0
A# Bb	11	Shatsruthi Dhaivatham	Da3	D3		Komal Nishad	kN	N1
		Kaisiki Nishadham	Ni2	N2	N1
B	12	Kaakali Nishadham	Ni3	N3	N2	Suddh Nishad	N	N2

Reference: Pitch comparison table

Carnatic	Hindustani	Western
Kattai 6	Mandra Safed 6 (Low)	A (Low)
Kattai 6.5	Mandra Kali 5	A#
Kattai 7	Mandra Safed 7	B
Kattai 1	Safed 1	C
Kattai 1.5	Kali 1	C#
Kattai 2	Safed 2	D
Kattai 2.5	Kali 2	D#
Kattai 3	Safed 3	E
Kattai 4	Safed 4	F
Kattai 4.5	Kali 3	F#
Kattai 5	Safed 5	G
Kattai 5.5	Kali 4	G#
Kattai 6	Safed 6	A
Kattai 6.5	Kali 5	A#
Kattai 7 (high)	Safed 7 (High)	B