S-R-gG-m-P-D-nN-S

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A springtime raga described by Satyaki Dutta as “a flow of a thousand feelings…the advent of new beginnings, painted with gleaming colours and shimmering joy”. Its Zila component (archaic spelling: ‘Jilha’) generally places significant emphasis on the double-Ga, while the rest of the raga tends to fit into the thumri-allied Mishra Kafi framework. Virtually all recordings I can find are either on sarod (e.g. Ali Akbar Khan) or sitar – with particularly fine performances coming from Nikhil Banerjee and Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan (who focuses on the komal ga far more than shuddha Ga: composition DnS, DnR, Dng, RSRR PPmP; mgR gRSR, mgR gRSR, DnS). Pleasingly, Zila Kafi appears to be on the resurgence, in keeping with its sentiments of springtime rejuvenation. Refer to an intriguing Carnatic interpretation by legendary violinist M.S. Gopalakrishnan – and compare to other folk-infused forms such as Pilu, Barwa, and Jungala, as well as the rest of the Kafi raganga.

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• Raga Masterlist (1000+) •

राग जिला काफी

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• Hindustani Raga Index •

Aroha: e.g. nSGmP, PDnS

Avroh: e.g. SnDPm; gRg; GRGS

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Pakad: variable, e.g. nPS; gRgR; GRGR

Chalan: (variable: Kafi-ang with strong double-Ga)

—Amjad Ali Khan (2017)—

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[theme, e.g. 2:06] nPS RgR; SR PPP, PmGmmm, gRggg, RSRRR; nPS gRgR, nPS GRGR, nPS gRgR…

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• Classifiers •

Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also see the Full Tag List):

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Swaras: -4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10+

Sapta: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Poorvang: SRGM | SRG | SRM | SGM

Uttarang: PDNS | PDS | PNS | DNS

Varjit: Re | Ga | Ma | Pa | Dha | Ni

Thaat: 10 | 32 | Enclosed | Inexact

Chal: All-shuddha | All-komal | Ma-tivra

Gaps: Anh. | Hemi. | 3-row | 4-row | 5-row

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Aroha: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Avroh: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Jati: Equal | Balanced | Av.+1 | Av.+2

Samay: Morning | Aftern. | Eve. | Night

Construction: Jod | Mishra | Oddball

Origin: Ancient | Carnatic | Modern

Dominance: Poorvang | Uttarang

Prevalence: A-list | Prachalit | Aprach.

• Prakriti: Jaijaiwanti, Jaijaiwanti Nat, Gara, Hanskinkini, Jayant Malhar, Ramdasi Malhar, Rageshri Bahar, Tilang Bahar, Nagadhwani Kanada, Patdeepaki

Also compare to other members of the Kafi raganga

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–R–gG–m–P–D–nN–S

• Reverse: SrRgmPdDnS (=Amiri Todi)

• Complement: SrMdS

• Imperfect: 1 (Ni)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: mirror (r—P)

• Murchanas: Jaijaiwanti set

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• Quirks: ‘maximal‘ (swaras are optimally ‘spread out’) • ‘Pa-repeating‘ (poorvang and uttarang take the same ‘semitone shape’)

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–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: ~Kapi

S-R₂-G₂-G₃-M₁-P-D₂-N₂-N₃-S

• Jazz: Dorian-Ionian

1-2-b3-3-4-5-6-b7-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-3-4-5-7-9-10-11-0

(2–1–1–1–2–2–1–1–1)

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o • o o o o • o • o o o o

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa

• Names: Zila Kafi, Zeela Kaafi, Zilla Kafi, Jilha-Kafi

• Transliterations: Hindi (जिला काफी)

—Ali Akbar Khan (~1980s)—