Kafi () is a '' raga'' in

Hindustani classical music Hindustani classical music is the classical music of northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It may also be called North Indian classical music or, in Hindustani, ''shastriya sangeet'' (). It is played in instruments like the violin, si ...

. It corresponds to Kharaharapriya in

Carnatic music Carnatic music, known as or in the South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and Sri Lanka. It is ...

and

Dorian mode Dorian mode or Doric mode can refer to three very different but interrelated subjects: one of the Ancient Greek ''harmoniai'' (characteristic melodic behaviour, or the scale structure associated with it); one of the medieval musical modes; or—mo ...

in Western music

Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande (10 August 1860 – 19 September 1936) was an Indian musicologist who wrote the first modern treatise on Hindustani classical music, an art which had been propagated for centuries mostly through oral traditions. ...

classified most ''ragas'' into ten ''

Thaat A Thaat () is a "Parent scale" in North Indian or Hindustani music. It is the Hindustani equivalent of the term ''Melakartha raga'' of Carnatic Music. The concept of the ''thaat'' is not exactly equivalent to the western musical scale because t ...

s''. Kafi ''Thaat'' is one of them. The ''raga'' Kafi is the principal ''raga'' of its ''Thaat''. According to Bhatkhande, its name first appears in the Raga Tarangini of Lochana Pandit, who lived in the Mithila district around the 15th century CE. Kafi has a direct lineage with the folk music of India. Folk music in

Tappa Tappa is a form of Indian semi-classical vocal music. Its specialty is a rolling pace based on fast, subtle and knotty construction. Its tunes are melodious and sweet, and depict the emotional outbursts of a lover. Tappe (plural) were sung mostly by ...

, Hori,

Dadra Dadra is associated with the Hindustani classical music of the Indian subcontinent. Dadra tala This is a Hindustani classical '' tala'' (rhythmic cycle), consisting of six beats in two equal divisions of three. The most commonly accepted theka ...

, Kirtan and Bhajans from different parts of

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

have been composed in this ''raga''. Many variations of Kafi exist. Contamination with ''vivadi swaras'' is common. This mixing has given rise to Mishra Kafi. Hence, a pure form of Kafi is seldom heard.

Description

Varna

Kafi is a ''

sampoorna-sampoorna In Indian classical music, Sampūrṇa rāgas (संपूर्ण, Sanskrit for 'complete', also spelt as ''sampoorna'') have all seven ''swaras'' in their scale. In general, the swaras in the ''Arohana'' and ''Avarohana'' strictly follow the a ...

'' or

heptatonic A heptatonic scale is a musical scale that has seven pitches, or tones, per octave. Examples include the major scale or minor scale; e.g., in C major: C D E F G A B C—and in the relative minor, A minor, natural minor: A B C D E F G A; the m ...

''raga'', with ''komal'' (half a note down) ''Gandhar'' (ga) and ''Nishad'' (ni). This is also referred to as the

Bhairavi Bhairavi ( sa, भैरवी) is a Hindu goddess, described as one of the Mahāvidyas, the ten avatars of the mother goddess. She is the consort of Bhairava. Etymology The name ''Bhairavi'' means "terror" or "awe-inspiring". She is th ...

of night. Both Shuddha Nishad & Gandhar are occasionally used. The atmosphere created is most suitable for both types of Shringar (Separation & Union) and hence many Thumri & Hori compositions are sung in this Raag.

Aroha Aroha is a Māori word meaning "love", cognate with the Hawaiian term ''aloha''. It is also a given name. Notable people Notable people with the name include: * Aroha Awarau, journalist and playwright from New Zealand * Aroha Reriti-Crofts, ...

Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Ṡa (Ga and Ni are ''komal swaras''). Dot above signifies the high octave, dot below signifies the low octave.

Avarohana An Avarohana, Avarohanam or Avaroha, in the context of Indian classical music, is the descending scale of any raga.''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, ''Glossary'' pages, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications The notes descend in pitch ...

Ṡa Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa (Ga and Ni are ''komal swaras).''

Vadi and Samavadi

''Pancham'' (Pa) is the '' vadi swara'' and ''Shadaj'' (Sa) is the ''

samavadi The Samavadi is the second-most prominent (though not necessarily second-most played) note of a raga in Indian classical music. The primary note of the raga is the '' vadi''; the vadi and samvadi are in most cases a fourth or fifth apart. A ''s ...

swara''.

Pakad In Hindustani music, a ''pakad'' (Hindi: पकड़) is a generally accepted musical phrase (or set of phrases) thought to encapsulate the essence of a particular raga. The pakad contains the melodic theme of the raga, on listening to the paka ...

A typical improvisation of Kafi starts as M P D P M g R, g R S, n. D. S The phrases below and termination in R are characteristic. S R g M P D n S, R g M P, M P D (M) g

Chalan

The typical chalan can be illustrated as: S S R R g g M M P - - D M P g R R n D n P D M P S n D P M G R S. M P D D n S - S R g R S N D S - S R S n D n D P M P D P g - R - R n D n P D M P S n D P M g R S

Variants

* Shuddha Kafi * Sindhura Kafi * Zilaf Kafi * Kafi Kanada

Organization and relationships

Various ''ragas'', such as

Bhimpalasi Bhimpalasi or Bheempalasi (also known as Bhimpalas or Bheempalas) is a Hindustani classical raga. Raga Bhimpalasi belongs to the Kafi Thaat. Theory * Aarohana: * Avaroha: The raag has komal Ni and Ga. It is an Audava-Sampoorna jati raga, imp ...

Bageshree Raga Bageshri or Bageshree () is a Hindustani classical raga. It is a popular night raga, which is meant to depict the emotion of a woman waiting for reunion with her lover. It is said to have been first sung by Miyan Tansen, the celebrated co ...

, Kafi Kanada, Bahar, and

Brindabani Sarang Brindavani Sarang or Brindabani Sarang, also known as raga Sarang, is a Hindustani classical raga. It is also called Vridavani Sarang. This raga falls under the category of Sarang ragas. Theory Brindabani Sarang is a Kafi thaat raga. It ...

are associated with this ''raga''. Important tributaries of this ''raga'' include Sindhura, Barwa, Deshi, Neelambari and Pilu. In Western Classical Music, Kafi corresponds to the modern

Dorian Mode Dorian mode or Doric mode can refer to three very different but interrelated subjects: one of the Ancient Greek ''harmoniai'' (characteristic melodic behaviour, or the scale structure associated with it); one of the medieval musical modes; or—mo ...

Behavior

''Samay'' (Time)

Raat ka dvitiya prahar or evening 9-12

Seasonality

The ''raga'' is performed during any season.

Rasa

The principal ''rasa'' for this ''raga'' is ''

sringara Sringara ( sa, शृङ्गार, ) is one of the nine rasas, usually translated as erotic love, romantic love, or as attraction or beauty. ''Rasa'' means "flavour", and the theory of rasa is the primary concept behind classical Indian arts inc ...

''.

Important recordings

* ''

Ulhas Kashalkar Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar (born 14 January 1955) is a Hindustani classical vocalist. He has received training in the Gwalior, Jaipur and Agra gharanas, and is considered one of the finest representative of all three schools. Early life Ulhas was ...

'', ''Raga Kafi (Concert)'', 2001; * ''

Shobha Gurtu Shobha Gurtu (1925–2004) was an Indian singer in the light Hindustani classical style. Though she had equal command over pure classical style, it was with light classical music that she received her fame, and in time came to be known as the ''T ...

'', ''Thumri, Raga Kafi'', 1987; * ''

Siddheshwari Devi Siddheswari Devi (1908 – 18 March 1977) was a legendary Hindustani singer from Varanasi, India, known as ''Maa'' (mother). Born in 1908, she lost her parents early and was brought up by her aunt, the noted singer Rajeshwari Devi. Initiation ...

'', ''Thumri, Raga Kafi'', 1983; * '' Debashish Bhattacharya'', ''Raga Mishra Kafi'', 1996; * ''

Ustad Bahadur Khan Ustad Bahadur Khan (born Bahadur Hossain Khan; 19 January 1931 – 3 October 1989) was an Indian sarod player and film score composer. Early life and family Ustad Bahadur Khan, a Bengali, was born on 19 January 1931 in Shibpur, Brahmanbaria, B ...

'', ''Raga Kafi'', 1987;

Film Songs

Language:
Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...

Note that the following songs are composed in Kharaharapriya, the equivalent of raga Kafi in

References

* ''Hindustani Sangeet Paddhati and his concise commentary, A Comparative Study of Some of the Leading Music Systems of the 15th, 16, 17th, & 18th Centuries'' by

. * http://www.tanarang.com/english/kafi_eng.htm