Varāḷi

A mystic, austere raaga, Dikshitar's 'Mamava Meenakshi'; listen for its stark, plaintive phrases evoking detachment (vairagya).

plaintive, mystical, austere; longing and vairagya

Varāḷi is a shadava (six-note) raaga in the Carnatic tradition.

in the raaga jeeva (life note) nyasa (resting note)

or tap any lit note to hear it

arohana / ascending

S G1 R1 G1 M2 P D1 N3 S (vakra, note the G1 R1 G1 zigzag). Madhyamam is slightly higher than prati madhyama (chyuta-panchama madhyamam)

avarohana / descending

S N3 D1 P M2 G1 R1 S. The G1 R1 gandhara-janta occurs in the descent (Subbarama Dikshitar stresses the gandhara janta prayoga in the avarohana)

How to hear it

Life notes / jeeva: Gandharam (G1), Madhyamam (M2), and Nishadam (N3), rendered with characteristic gamaka
Resting notes / nyasa: Shadjam (S), listed as the graha/amsa/nyasa swara
Signature phrases / prayoga: Signature phrases 'p.dn dpm. – pm g' and 'r – gm p,dp mgg', with vakra patterns; panchama-varja phrases especially beautiful
Ornament / gamaka: Varali is a gamaka-pradhana raga. The shuddha gandharam (G1) is the vivadi (dissonant) note, 'never plain', leans toward chatushruti rishabham when oscillated; madhyamam is a chyuta-panchama (raised) prati-madhyamam

Pantuvarali (differs only in gandharam), Subhapantuvarali (uses sadharana gandharam), Vijayasree (lacks dhaivatham), Jaganmohana

◐ Draft: the reference facts on this page are compiled from public sources and are pending review by a musician. Corrections welcome via GitHub.