The Four Ways of Demonstrating Hindustani Instrumental Music

1. 
   The First way is by singing the swaras using the words of the Khayal (or fixed composition) like the famous "Bole re papihara" in the raga Miya ki Malhar.
2. The second way is by singing the sargam or the actual swaras (or musical notes) being intoned by the composition. Like "M P nDNS__ g__gMRS" in the example given above.
3. In instrumental music, say the Sitar, the right-hand index finger is used to pluck the string to produce the sound. The inward pluck is called "da" & the outward "ra". There are other variations like "diri" etc. A singer can intone the sitar right hand plucking syllables while singing the swaras of the composition.
4. Similarly, the strokes on the Tabla are also identified by "Da, Dhin, Ta, Na" etc. The composition can also be sung (in the swaras denoted for it) while intoning the tabla syllables mentioned above.