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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1

Idhu Kuzhandhai Paadum Thalaatu (Tamil)

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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

2

Kanne Kalaimane (Tamil)

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Kanne Kalaimane (Tamil)

Film: Moonram Pirai
Language: Tamil
Singer: K.J.Yesudas
Music Director: I.Ilaiyaraja
Year: 1982

3

Innale Ente Nenjile (Malayalam)

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Innale Ente Nenjile (Malayalam)

Film: Balettan
Language: Malayalam
Singer: K.J.Yesudas
Music Director: M.Jayachandran
Year: 2003

4

Thanni Thotti (Tamil)

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Thanni Thotti (Tamil)

Film: Sindhu Bhairavi
Language: Tamil
Singer: K.J.Yesudas
Music Director: I.Ilaiyaraja
Year: 1985

5

Varamanjalaadiya (Malayalam)

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Varamanjalaadiya (Malayalam)

Film: Pranayavarnangal
Language: Malayalam
Singer: K.S.Chitra
Music Director: Vidyasagar
Year: 1998

6

Thumbi Vaa

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Thumbi Vaa

Film: Ilaiyaraja – Live
Language: Instrumental
Singer(s): Instrumental
Music Director: I.Ilaiyaraja
Year: 2006

7

Thumbi Vaa (Malayalam)

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Thumbi Vaa (Malayalam)

Film: Olangal
Language: Malayalam
Singer: S.Janaki
Music Director: I.Ilaiyaraja
Year: 1982

8

Neer Veezchi Thee Moottuthe (Tamil)

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Neer Veezchi Thee Moottuthe (Tamil)

Film: Kanne Kalaimane
Language: Tamil
Singer: S.Janaki
Music Director: I.Ilaiyaraja
Year: 1988

9

Chinna Thai Aval (Tamil)

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Chinna Thai Aval (Tamil)

Film: Thalapathi
Language: Tamil
Singer: S.Janaki
Music Director: I.Ilaiyaraja
Year: 1991

10

Senthamizh Theyn Mozhiyaal (Tamil)

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Senthamizh Theyn Mozhiyaal (Tamil)

Film: Maalaiyitta Mangai
Language: Tamil
Singer: T.R.Mahalingam
Music Director: Viswanathan-Ramamurthy
Year: 1958

11

Aakasam Eynatitho (Telugu)

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Aakasam Eynatitho (Telugu)

Film: Nireekshana
Language: Telugu
Singer: S.Janaki
Music Director: I.Ilaiyaraja
Year: 1981

12

Sangathil Paadatha Kavithai (Tamil)

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Sangathil Paadatha Kavithai (Tamil)

Film: Auto Raja
Language: Tamil
Singer(s): S.Janaki, I.Ilaiyaraja
Music Director: I.Ilaiyaraja
Year: 1982

13

Kadhal Rojave (Tamil)

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Kadhal Rojave (Tamil)

Film: Roja
Language: Tamil (initial humming in Desh Raga)
Singer: S.P.Balasubramaniam
Music Director: A.R.Rahman
Year: 1992

14

Aalankuyil Koovum Rayil (Tamil)

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Aalankuyil Koovum Rayil (Tamil)

Film: Parthiban Kanavu
Language: Tamil
Singer(s): Harini, Srikanth
Music Director: Vidyasagar
Year: 2003

15

Hey Padal Onru (Tamil)

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Hey Padal Onru (Tamil)

Film: Priya
Language: Tamil
Singer(s): K.J.Yesudas, S.Janaki
Music Director: I.Ilaiyaraja
Year: 1978