Kafi is the raag of its thaat: Sa, Re, komal Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, komal Ni. It is warm and folk-hearted, the raag of the hori, the songs of Holi, and of spring, and of countless folk tunes; it is often sung lightly, with other swaras let in as colours. It belongs to the second prahar of the night.
Hear it
How it moves
Pa is Kafi's vadi and Sa its samvadi. Its pakad climbs in pairs:
Its hour
Kafi belongs to the second prahar of the night, from 9 to midnight, and to spring: its horis are sung at Holi.
On the bansuri
- S
- R
- G
- M
- P
- D
- N
- S
- Tune komal Ga soft and low, a semitone under shuddh Ga, against the tanpura.
- Kafi is light: play it with a lilt, and let its phrases dance.
Look-alikes
Bageshree, of the same thaat, leaves out Pa going up and lives on Ma and Dha, at midnight:
Khamaj raises Ga to shuddh:
Practise it
- Long notes on Pa and Sa.
- The aaroh and avaroh.
- Paltas in its swaras, in threes.
- The pakad and the phrases.
All ten alankars in Kafi, to hear in your Sa →
Meend starts it with Aaroh–Avaroh, Pakad, Paltas in Kafi, Aalap and Bandish, 27 minutes a day, and listens as you play: each swara of the notation lit as it is played, the time kept, a lotus grown petal by petal.
Questions
Which swaras are komal in Kafi?
Ga and Ni.
What is a hori in Kafi?
A song of Holi: Kafi is the raag most often used for them.