• Raag Zila Kafi •

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


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 places greater emphasis on the double-Ga, while the rest of the raga tends to fit into the thumri-allied Mishra Kafi framework. Almost all recordings are on either sarod (e.g. Ali Akbar Khan) or sitar (notably Nikhil Banerjee). Pleasingly, Zila Kafi appears to be on the resurgence – in keeping with its themes of springtime rejuvenation.


Raga Megalist (365+) •
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—Amjad Ali Khan (2017)—


[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):


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

Double: rR | gG | mM | dD | nN

Thaat: 10 | 32Enclosed | Inexact

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

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

Symmetries: Mirror | Rotation | Palindr.


Aroha: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Avroh: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

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

Samay: Morning | Aftern. | Eve. | Night

Murchana: Bhup. | Bihag | Bilaw. | Charu.

Raganga: Bhairav | Malhar | Kan. | Todi

Construction: Jod | Mishra | Oddball

Origin: Ancient | Carnatic | Modern

Dominance: Poorvang | Uttarang

Prevalence: A-list | Prachalit | Aprach.

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

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–Swara Geometries–

Core form: SRgGmPDnNS
Reverse: SrRgmPdDnS (=Amiri Todi)
Negative: 5-5-2
Imperfect: 1 (Ni)
Detached: none
Symmetries: mirror (r—P)
Murchanas: Jaijaiwanti set

Quirks: maximal‘ (swaras are optimally ‘spread out’)

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–Global Translations–

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)

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

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—Ali Akbar Khan (~1980s)—

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[MORE TO FOLLOW]

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Hindustani Raga Index

An open-ended project seeking to bring North Indian raga closer to all who approach with open ears. Combines direct input from dozens of leading Hindustani artists with in-depth insights from music history, global theory, performance practice, cognitive science, and much more! [out 2023-24]

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George Howlett is a London-based musician, writer, and teacher (guitars, sitar, tabla, & santoor). Above all I seek to enthuse fellow sonic searchers, interconnecting fresh vibrations with the voices, cultures, and passions behind them. See Homepage for more, and hit me up for Lessons!

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