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.
Kafi is a sampoorna-sampoorna or heptatonicraga, 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.
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.
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