Kafi (Urdu: کافی) is a classical form of Sufi poetry, mostly in Punjabi, Sindhi and Seraiki languages and originating from the Punjab and Sindh in Pakistan. Some well-known Kafi poets of this style have been Baba Farid, Bulleh Shah, Shah Hussain, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Sachal Sarmast and Khwaja Ghulam Farid. This poetry style has also lend itself to the Kafi genre of singing, popular throughout South Asia, especially Pakistan and India. Over the years, both Kafi poetry and its rendition have experienced rapid growth phases as various poets and vocalists added their own influences to the form, creating a rich and varied poetic form, yet through it all it remained centered around the dialogue between the Soul and the Creator, symbolized by murid (disciple) and his Murshid (Master), and often by lover and his Beloved [1].
While the word is derived from Arabic, kafa meaning group, the genre is said to be derived from Arabic poetry genre, qasidah, a monorhyme ode, it always meant to be sung, using one or two lines as refrain sang repeatedly to create a mood. Kafi poetry is usually themed around heroic and great romantic tales from the folkfore, often used a metaphor for mystical truths, and spiritual longing [2][3]
Kafi singing
In musical terms, kafi refers to the genre of Punjabi, Sindhi, Seraiki and Urdu light classical music which utilizes the verses of kafi poets such as Bulleh Shah and Shah Hussein. Due to the religious nature of the poetic genre, kafi music is normally associated with the Sufi orders or Tariqah of Islam in South Asia, and was sang by dervishes or fakirs (Islamic mendicants) in solo or group as an ode and offering to their murshid, guide.
It is characterized by a devotional intensity in its delivery and as such overlaps considerably with both the Qawwali and Ghazal genres, as just like Qawwali, its performances often took place at the dargahs (mausoleums) of various Sufi saints in the region. However, unlike Qawwali, the musical arrangement is much simpler and may only include one harmonium, one tabla, one dholak and a single vocalist and the emphasis remains on the words rather than the music itself, considering the central aim of Kafi music remains to convey the essence of the mystical lyrics, hence central verse is often repeated. There are no fixed styles of singing of Kafi, traditionally dervishes in Sindh used instruments like Yaktaro, a one-stringed pluck instrument and wooden clappers, chappars, though many contemporary singers have chosen their own variations [2]
Rise of Kafi singing
Some of the early notable exponents of this form in 1930s, when classical singing became highly popular were Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan of Patiala gharana, who used dhrupad style in his rendition of Sindhi Kafi singing, and his contemporary in Sindhi kafi singing Ustad Allahdino Noonari, who used fusion form.
Kafi has gained a higher profile in the West in late 20th century, thanks to the Pakistani singer Abida Parveen, who is widely heard like a qawwali maestro Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in terms of Sufi singers known to western audiences.[1].
References
- ^ a b Tribute: The legendary maestro By Shaikh Aziz, Dawn (newspaper), 05 Jul, 2009.
- ^ a b Kafi South Asian folklore: an encyclopedia : Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, by Peter J. Claus, Sarah Diamond, Margaret Ann Mills. Taylor & Francis, 2003. ISBN 0415939194. p. 317.
- ^ Kafi Crossing boundaries, by Geeti Sen. Orient Blackswan, 1998. ISBN 8125013415. p. 133.
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