Kafi () is a raga in Hindustani classical music. It corresponds to Kharaharapriya in Carnatic music and Dorian mode in Western music.
Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande classified most ragas into ten Thaats. 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, Hori, Dadra, Kirtan and Bhajans from different parts of India 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 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.
Aroha 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 Ṡa Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa
(Ga and Ni are komal swaras).
Vadi and Samavadi Pancham (Pa) is the vadi swara and Risabh (Re) is the samavadi swara.
Pakad 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, Bageshree, Kafi Kanada, Bahar, and Brindabani Sarang 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.
Behavior
Samay (Time) Raat ka dvitiya prahar or evening 9–12
Seasonality The raga is performed during any season.
Important recordings Ulhas Kashalkar, Raga Kafi (Concert), 2001; Shobha Gurtu, Thumri, Raga Kafi, 1987; Siddheshwari Devi, Thumri, Raga Kafi, 1983; Debashish Bhattacharya, Raga Mishra Kafi, 1996; Ustad Bahadur Khan, Raga Kafi, 1987;
Film Songs Language:Hindi SongMovieYearComposerSingerChupke Chupke Raat Din (Traditional Ghazal)Nikaah1982RaviUstad Ghulam AliYe Pyar Kya Hai (From "Gupt")Gupt1997Viju ShahKumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik, Kavita KrishnamurthyTanha Dil Tanha Safar (has mixes of Bhimpalasi as well)Tanha Dil (album)2000Shaan, Ram SampathShaanSab Kuchh Bhula DiyaHum Tumhare Hain Sanam2002Bali BrahmbhattSonu Nigam, Sapna AwasthiSaathiya (reused from "Pachchai Nirame")SaathiyaA R RahmanSonu Nigam, Clinton CerejoTitli (Starts with Carnatic Song in Raga Desh)Chennai Express2013Vishal-ShekharChinmayi Sripada, Gopi SunderJiya (Mix of Kafi and Bhimpalas)Gunday2014Sohail SenArijit SinghMard Maratha (From "Panipat") (has Mix of Kafi and Bhimpalas)Panipat2019Ajay-AtulAjay–Atul, Sudesh Bhosle, Kunal Ganjawala, Swapnil Bandodkar, Padmanabh Gaikwad, Priyanka BarveLutt Le GayaDhurandhar2025Shashwat SachdevSimran Choudhary, Shashwat Sachdev
Language:Tamil Note that the following songs are composed in Kharaharapriya, the equivalent of raga Kafi in Carnatic music. SongMovieComposerSingerEnna SeidhaalumIrumbu ThiraiS. V. VenkatramanRadha JayalakshmiAriyaa ParuvamadaaMissiammaS. Rajeshwara RaoP. SusheelaMaayavalaiyilGulebakavaliViswanathan–RamamoorthyT. M. SoundararajanAnnan Kaatiya VazhiyammaPadithal Mattum PodhumaMaharajanKarnanT. M. Soundararajan, P. SusheelaAagaya PandhalilePonnunjalM. S. ViswanathanMadhavi Pon MayilaalIru MalargalT. M. SoundararajanPonmagal VandhaalSorgamAttamenna Solladi (I will sing for you)Manidharil ManikkamMalligai En MannanDheerga SumangaliVani JayaramAayiram Nilave VaaAdimai PennK. V. MahadevanS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, P. SusheelaIsaiyai ThamizhaiAgathiyarKunnakudi VaidyanathanSirkazhi Govindarajan, T. R. MahalingamPoo MalarinthidaTik Tik TikIlaiyaraajaK. J. Yesudas, Jency AnthonyThaana Vantha SanthanameOoru Vittu Ooru VanthuS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. JanakiVaazhavaikum Kaathalukku JeyApoorva SagodharargalAdukku Malli YeduthuAavarampooPattu OnnaKumbakarai ThangaiahMappillaikkuNetrikkanMalaysia Vasudevan, P. SusheelaKannukkulle YaaroKai Kodukkum KaiS. P. Sailaja, P. SusheelaMaalai KarukkalilNeethiyin MarupakkamK. J. Yesudas, S. JanakiRoja Poo AdivanthathuAgni NatchathiramS. JanakiKarutha MachanPudhu Nellu Pudhu NaathuIravu NilavuAnjaliKaala kaalamaaga VaazhumPunnagai MannanS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K.S. ChitraAethamayya AethamNinaive Oru SangeethamMalaysia Vasudevan, K.S. ChitraIlam Vayasu PonnaPaandi Nattu ThangamNethu Oruthara OrutharaPuthu PaatuIlaiyaraaja, K.S. ChitraPoongatru ThirumbumaMuthal MariyathaiMalaysia Vasudevan, S. JanakiKatti Vechukko Enthan Anbu ManasuEn Jeevan PaduthuAnandham Pongida PongidaSirai ParavaiK. J. Yesudas, SunandaThooliyile Ada VanthaChinna ThambiMano, K.S. ChitraUnnai Vaazhtha VanthenUnnai Vaazhthi PaadugirenK. J. YesudasElangaathu VeesudheyPithamaganSriram Parthasarathy, Shreya GhoshalKai VeesiNandalalaVijay Yesudas, Swetha Mohan, Madhu Balakrishnan, Raagul, ChandrasekarIlavenirkala PanjamiManam Virumbuthe UnnaiHariharanAanenna PennenaDharma DuraiS. P. BalasubrahmanyamNeela Vana OdayilVazhvey MaayamGangai AmaranIndralogathu SundariUyirullavarai UshaT. RajendarAtho Vanile Nila OorvalamThandanaiChandraboseS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. JanakiPachchai Nirame (Sakiye)AlaipayutheyA. R. RahmanHariharan, Clinton CerejoUrvasi UrvasiKaadhalanA. R. Rahman, Suresh Peters, Shahul HameedTaxi TaxiSakkarakattiA R Rahman, Javed Ali, Benny Dayal, Blaaze and Viviane ChaixKilimanjaroEnthiranJaved Ali, ChinmayiMayiliragae MayiliragaeAnbe AaruyireNaresh Iyer, MadhushreeGulmohar MalareMajunuHarris JayarajHariharanMudhal MazhaiBheemaaHariharan, Mahathi, R. PrasannaHasili FisiliyeAadhavanKarthik, HariniSuttum VizhiGhajiniSriram Parthasarathy, Bombay JayashreeYaaridamumThotti JayaRamesh Vinayagam, HariniUyirileVettaiyaadu VilaiyaaduMahalakshmi Iyer, SrinivasMeela Mudiyamal(Unreleased track)Vaaranam AayiramBenny Dayal, Srimathumitha, RathikaSangeetha SwarangalAzhaganMaragathamaniS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, SandhyaKamban EnguJaathi MalliS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K.S. ChitraJanaki DeviSamsaram Adhu MinsaramShankar–GaneshK.S. ChitraRendu Kannam Santhana KinnamSivappu MalliK. J. Yesudas, P. SusheelaPanivilum ParuvanilaPaneer NadhigalK. J. YesudasRosappu Chinna RosappuSuryavamsamS. A. RajkumarHariharan(vers 1), Sujatha Mohan(vers 2)Edho Oru Paattu Unnidathil Ennai KoduthenKanava NinaivaAasalBharadwajV. V. Prasanna, ManjariSanthikkadha Kangalil Inbangal180SharrethUnni Menon, K.S. Chitra, S. SowmyaEn RaasiEnakkoru Magan PirappanKarthik RajaSujatha Mohan, P. Unni KrishnanInni Naanum NaanilaiYai! Nee Romba Azhaga Irukke!SrinivasSrinivas, Sujatha Mohan, Sunitha SarathyYamini YaminiArvind-ShankarHarish RaghavendraAathadi ManasudhanKazhuguYuvan Shankar RajaPriya Himesh, Karthik RajaAyyayyoParuthiveeranShreya Ghoshal, Krishnaraj, Manikka Vinayagam, Yuvan Shankar Raja(Humming)Dheivangal EllamKedi Billa Killadi RangaVijay YesudasKadhal VaithuDeepavaliUn Mela Oru KannuRajinimuruganD. ImmanJithin Raj, Mahalakshmi IyerMuzhumadhi MuzhumadhiKanimozhiSatish ChakravarthyVijay Yesudas, Bela ShendeIthanai DhooramKoottamJames VasanthanHaricharan, Shweta MohanVinmeen VithaiyilThegidiNivas K. PrasannaAbhay Jodhpurkar, Saindhavi
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 Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande. https://tanarang.com/raag-kafi/