The scales of Varali are as follows :
Aarohanam (Ascending) : S G1 R1 G1 M2 P D1 N3 S’
Avarohanam (Descending) : S’ N3 D1 P M2 G1 R1 S
Varali is a janya raga, derived from Jhalavarali (below), 39th on the Melakarta scale.
It is a Ghana Raga in the Ghana, Rakti and Desiya scheme. This gamaka-pradhana (highly ornamentated) raga is filled with Bhakti bhava (devotional mood). There is a superstition that Varali is to be only self-taught as it is inauspicious for student-teacher relationships. All fans of Carnatic Music will immediately remember Kana kana ruchira, the Ghana Raga Pancharatna Kriti by Tyagaraja. Eti Janmamidi by Tyagaraja, Kamakshi Bangaru and Karuna Joodavamma by Shyama Shastri, Mamava Meenakshi by Muthuswami Dikshithar and Ka Va Va by Papanasam Sivan are well known compositions in the same raga. Readers with deeper knowledge of ragas may be interested in this newsletter on Varali.
Note : The 12 notes in the octave are named as below. Please note that C is used as Sa for the sake of simplicity as the scale is relative in Carnatic Music. Also note that the scales paint only a superficial picture of the raga as the gamakas(ornamentations) are a very important part of a raga.
Music To My Ears 