Kafi (raga)

Kafi is a sampoorna-sampoorna or heptatonic raga, with komal (half a note down) Gandhar (ga) and Nishad (ni). This is also referred to as the Bhairavi 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.

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.

Ṡa Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa

(Ga and Ni are komal swaras).

Pancham (Pa) is the vadi swara and Sadaj (Sa) is the samavadi swara.

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

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

Raat ka dvitiya prahar or evening 9-12

The raga is performed during any season.

The principal rasa for this raga is sringara.

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