Jo Achyuthananda - Raga Kapi

Kapi is a beautiful raga.  

It is a Janya (Derivative) of the 22nd Melakartha Raga Kharaharapriya.  

Kharaharapriya has these seven notes: Sa, R2, G1, Ma1, Pa, D2, Ni1 

Kapi is known as an Oudava-Vakra-Sampurna Bhashanga Raga: it has five notes in the ascent, and in the descent it has scope for foreign notes not found in the parent Raga, arranged in characteristic zig zag style.

Arohana (Ascent)      : Sa, R2, M1, Pa, Ni3, Sa

Avarohana (Descent):  Sa, Ni2, Da2, Ni2, P, M1 G2, R2, Sa

Use of Kakali Nishadam N3, Anthara Gandharam G1, Shuddha Daivatham D1 give it tremendous scope for improvisation. We see there are many flavors of this melodious Raga, each using a set of these many notes permissible.

"Jagadoddharana- Aadisidale Yashoda" is a fantastic Krithi by Purandara Dasaru is a fine example of Kapi.  Purandara dasa says the Lord is Jagaoddharana- someone who is set to uplift the entire universe- and mother Yashoda thoght he was a kid and played with Him.  The song has been sung by many artists- MSS amma and Aishwarya&Soundarya follow a particular style, while Sudha Raghunathan, Bombay S Jayashri and Amritha Venkatesh give it such an aura of joy. Younger artists like Sid Sriram and Soorya Gayatri added their bits of Sangathis enriching the listener's experience.  All these are available on the internet.

Annamacharya's " Jo Achyuthananda Jo Jo Mukunda" was sung by Guru Shri Balamuralikrishna in Rag Navroj and the tune and the song became so much an every household phenomenon in AndhraPradesh.  MS amma sang it quite differently in Raga Kapi, which has been taken up by many a musicians of the day for its flowy and soothy qualities. 

Here is my unsophisticated practice of "Jo achyuthanada" in Kapi: