Kāpi (Sanskrit कापी, Tamil காபி) is a popular rāga in Carnatic music, the classical music of South India.
Kāpi is a janya rāgam with a meandering vakra scale. It is considered to be derived from the Kharaharapriya rāgam. Typically performed at slow and medium speeds, Kapi is capable of inducing moods of devotion, pathos and sadness in the listeners. Kāpi is different from the Hindustani raag and thaat Kafi.
Structure and Lakshana: Kāpi is an audava-vakra rāgam with an ascending pentatonic scale and a descending scale with seven notes, but not in a descending order. It uses two different nishāda swarās.
ārohaṇa : S R2 M1 P N3 S
avarohaṇa : S N2 D2 N2 P M1 G2 R2 S
The presence of two separate nishāda swarās (N2 and N3) lends a distinctive quality to Kāpi, along with the fact that it uses a set of vakra swarās (N2 D2 N2).
(Source: wikipedia)
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Listen to compositions in Kāpi rendered by Dhanya Subramanian on this site:
Mee Valla Gunadosham – Tyagaraja
kArthikeyanai – Mayuram Viswanatha Sastri
Pazhani Ninra – Periyasaamy Thooran
kalaiyaatha kalviyum – Abhirami Andhaadhi Padhigam
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Other Popular Compositions in Kāpi:
Jagadhoddhārana Adisidalu Yashoda – Purandaradasa
Kurai Ondrum Illai (in two charanam verses) – Chakravarti Rajagopalachari
Enna thavam seydanai Yashoda – Papanasam Sivan
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Idhu Kuzhandhai Paadum Thalaatu (Tamil)
Film: Oru Thalai Raagam
Language: Tamil
Singer: S.P.Balasubramaniam
Music Director: T.Rajendar
Year: 1980
Kanne Kalaimane (Tamil)
Film: Moonram Pirai
Language: Tamil
Singer: K.J.Yesudas
Music Director: I.Ilaiyaraja
Year: 1982
Innale Ente Nenjile (Malayalam)
Film: Balettan
Language: Malayalam
Singer: K.J.Yesudas
Music Director: M.Jayachandran
Year: 2003
Thanni Thotti (Tamil)
Film: Sindhu Bhairavi
Language: Tamil
Singer: K.J.Yesudas
Music Director: I.Ilaiyaraja
Year: 1985
Chinna Thai Aval (Tamil)
Film: Thalapathi
Language: Tamil
Singer: S.Janaki
Music Director: I.Ilaiyaraja
Year: 1991
Varamanjalaadiya (Malayalam)
Film: Pranayavarnangal
Language: Malayalam
Singer: K.S.Chitra
Music Director: Vidyasagar
Year: 1998
Thumbi Vaa
Film: Ilaiyaraja – Live
Language: Instrumental
Singer(s): Instrumental
Music Director: I.Ilaiyaraja
Year: 2006
Thumbi Vaa (Malayalam)
Film: Olangal
Language: Malayalam
Singer: S.Janaki
Music Director: I.Ilaiyaraja
Year: 1982
Neer Veezchi Thee Moottuthe (Tamil)
Film: Kanne Kalaimane
Language: Tamil
Singer: S.Janaki
Music Director: I.Ilaiyaraja
Year: 1988
Senthamizh Theyn Mozhiyaal (Tamil)
Film: Maalaiyitta Mangai
Language: Tamil
Singer: T.R.Mahalingam
Music Director: Viswanathan-Ramamurthy
Year: 1958
Gokulathil Pasukkal Ellam (Tamil)
Film: Krishna Ganam – Devotional
Language: Tamil
Singer: S.Janaki
Music Director: M.S.Viswanathan
Year: 1980
Aakasam Eynatitho (Telugu)
Film: Nireekshana
Language: Telugu
Singer: S.Janaki
Music Director: I.Ilaiyaraja
Year: 1981
Sangathil Paadatha Kavithai (Tamil)
Film: Auto Raja
Language: Tamil
Singer(s): S.Janaki, I.Ilaiyaraja
Music Director: I.Ilaiyaraja
Year: 1982
Kadhal Rojave (Tamil)
Film: Roja
Language: Tamil (initial humming in Desh Raga)
Singer: S.P.Balasubramaniam
Music Director: A.R.Rahman
Year: 1992
Aalankuyil Koovum Rayil (Tamil)
Film: Parthiban Kanavu
Language: Tamil
Singer(s): Harini, Srikanth
Music Director: Vidyasagar
Year: 2003
I was looking for this page for a long time… I am gonna download all these songs.
Interesting list though some more songs like ‘Maalai soodum veLai'(Naan Mahaan Alla-1983), ‘Siriththaal Sirppen'(Maariyamman Thiruvizha-1977), ‘Sugamo Aayiram'(ThuNai iruppaL Meenakshi-1977) could have also been included. But please tell me how ‘Chinna ThaavaL’ can be classified under Kapi.As far as I know, it uses the swaras of Charukesi and the BGM uses vivadi swaras giving a flavour of Ragavardhini.
Thanks,
Raj
aar0 viral meetti is in the raga of Hamsanatham
Karimizhi Kuruviye Kandilla – Meeshamadhavan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gwK_96CJuU
enna thapam saithanai – Kriti – Thilakkam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLj7EDVDEFw
Kanneer Poovinte is based on Anandha bhairavi not Kapi
the song does not fit hamsanadam. the flute interlude to the song has S R2 M1 P and N3 notes. The song in the pallavi and anupallavi uses these notes along with D3 along with sparing use of M2 and G2.
It probably can be classified as being in the melakartha scale of varunapriya with M2 as an anya swara.
S R2 M1 P N3 S
S N3 D3 P M2 G2 R2 S
yes chinna thaaaval is Charukesi raaga. which is correct? kapi or charukesi
‘Chinna thaaiavaL’ is based on Charukesi with a dose of vivadi swaras giving it a Ragavardhini flavour. Pl. read my write-up about the song though my intention here is surely not to promote my blog:
http://rajamanjari.blogspot.in/2011/06/ilaiyaraaja-simple-and-esoteric.html
Yes. You are right. Not all the songs are based on Kaappi. “Kanneer Poovinte” is based on Anandha bhairavi. Hope she removes these songs to their appropriate places.
There is an excellent song by the peerless TMS in the movie ” சமையல்காரன் ”
in காபி ராகம் – ” நான் பாடிடும் கவிதையின் சந்தம்” .
Similarly in the Tamil movie ” பட்டணத்தில் பூதம் ” KR.Vijaya (P.Susheela) sings a few lines in காபி ராகம் “தேனை மறந்திருக்கும்…” after which the hero Jaishankar brings her a cup of coffee .