Varunapriya (pronounced ) is a

rāga A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradition, and as ...

m in

Carnatic music Carnatic music, known as or in the Dravidian languages, South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, an ...

(musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 24th ''

melakarta Mēḷakartā is a collection of fundamental musical scales ( ragas) in Carnatic music (South Indian classical music). ''Mēḷakartā'' ragas are parent ragas (hence known as ''janaka'' ragas) from which other ragas may be generated. A ''melak ...

'' rāgam (parent scale) in the 72 ''melakarta'' rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Viravasantam; in

Muthuswami Dikshitar Muthuswami Dikshitar (Mudduswamy Dikshitar)(, 24 March 1776 – 21 October 1835), mononymously Dikshitar, was a South Indian poet, singer and veena player, and a legendary composer of Indian classical music, who is considered one of the musical ...

school of Carnatic music.''Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar Keertanaigal'' by Vidwan A Sundaram Iyer, Pub. 1989, Music Book Publishers, Mylapore, Chennai''Ragas in Carnatic music'' by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications''Raganidhi'' by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras

Structure and Lakshana

It is the 6th rāgam in the 4th ''chakra Veda''. The mnemonic name is ''Veda-Sha''. The mnemonic phrase is ''sa ri gi ma pa dhu nu''. Its ' structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see ''swaras'' in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms): * : * : The notes ''chathusruthi rishabham, sadharana gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, shatsruthi dhaivatham'' and ''kakali nishadham'' are used in this scale. As it is a ''melakarta'', by definition it is a ''sampoorna'' rāgam (has all seven notes in ascending and descending scale). It is the ''shuddha madhyamam'' equivalent of '' Neetimati'', which is the 60th ''melakarta'' scale.

''Janya'' rāgams

''Varunapriya'' does not have ''

janya ''Janya'' is a term meaning "derive". In Carnatic (South Indian) music a ''janya raga'' is one derived from one of the 72 ''melakarta'' ragas (fundamental melodic structures). ''Janya'' ragas are classified into various types based on a varie ...

'' rāgams (derived scales) associated with it. See List of ''janya'' rāgams for a full list of ''janya'' scales.

Compositions

A few compositions set to ''Varunapriya'' are: *''Yemani pogadudu'' by

Thyagaraja Thyagaraja (Telugu: త్యాగరాజ) (4 May 1767 – 6 January 1847), also known as Thyāgayya and in full as Kakarla Thyagabrahmam, was a composer and vocalist of Carnatic music, a form of Indian classical music. Tyagaraja and his ...

*''Samashrayami Sada'' by Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna *''Singara kumari'' by Koteeswara Iyer ''Veeravasanta Thyagaraja'' by

is set to Viravasantam.

Related rāgams

This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam. ''Varunapriya's'' notes when shifted using '' Graha bhedam'', yields a minor ''melakarta'' rāgam, namely, ''

Ragavardhini Ragavardhini (pronounced rāgavardini) has two separate meanings in Indian classical music: * a major part of the alapana of a raga. The performer gives a step-by-step elaboration of the raga, pausing at each major note or swara. * the 32nd ...

''. ''Graha bhedam'' is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the ''shadjam'' to the next note in the rāgam. For further details and an illustration refer '' Graha bhedam on Ragavardhini''.

Notes

References

{{Janya, state=collapsed Melakarta ragas