Varali

Varali is a Janya Raga derived from Jhalavarali (Melakarta 39) in Carnatic music. Its swaras are drawn from the parent scale Jhalavarali, and the way it selects, omits or bends those swaras is what gives it a character of its own. Use the arohanam and avarohanam above as your starting point: play the scale slowly on the harmonium, hold each swara until the pitch settles, and only then sing it back.

Rasa: karuna — solemn sorrow. Varali takes the prati madhyamam with flat rishabham and gandharam, an unusual combination that gives the raga an austere, slightly severe colour. It demands precise intonation; its character collapses if the swaras are approximated.

It is a major raga with important kritis, surrounded by a long-standing tradition that it should not be taught directly from teacher to student. Whatever one makes of that custom, the effect is not in doubt: Varali quietens a hall. It brings a seriousness that listeners feel physically, and it is often sung at moments of mourning and deep reflection.

Start with the plain arohanam and avarohanam in slow speed, holding each swara until it is steady. Once the scale is secure, practise it against a shruti drone and only then move to gamaka-laden phrases. Whenever a phrase feels uncertain, go back to the scale and check yourself swara by swara before building speed.