Valaji or Valachi is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is a pentatonic scale (audava or owdava rāgam, which means "of 5"). It is a janya rāgam (derived scale), as it does not have all the seven swaras (musical notes). The equivalent of Valaji in Hindustani music is Kalāvati.Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH PublicationsRaganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras
Structure and Lakshana
Valaji is a symmetric rāgam that does not contain rishabham or madhyamam. It is a pentatonic scale (audava-audava rāgam in Carnatic music classification). Its structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):
(the notes used in this scale are shadjam, antara gandharam, panchamam, chathusruthi dhaivatham and kaisiki nishadham)
Valaji is considered a janya rāgam of Chakravakam, the 16th Melakarta rāgam, though it can be derived from other melakarta rāgams, Harikambhoji, Vagadheeswari, Ramapriya, Vachaspati or Nasikabhooshani, by dropping both rishabham and madhyamam. Since Chakravakam is lowest in ordinal number among these 6 melakarta scales, Valaji is associated with it.
Popular compositions Valaji is a pleasing scale, but has only a few compositions in classical music. It has been used to score film music as well. Here are some popular compositions composed in Valaji.
Chalamu Seya (Varnam) by Lalgudi Jayaraman Anname Aruginil Va (Varnam) by Sri Subbudu Devadi Deva (Varnam) by Binni Krishnakumar Jalandhara Supithasthe Japa Kusuma Bhasure by Muthiah Bhagavatar Santatamu Ninne by G. N. Balasubramaniam Sri Gayatri by Saint Gnanananda Tirtha (Sri Ogirala Veera Raghava Sarma) Tandava Priya by Kalyani Varadarajan Dari Yavudayya and Nachike Padabeda by Purandara Dasa Padhame Thunai by Papanasam Sivan Kai Vidamattan by Natarajasundaram Pillai Maha Tripurasundari by N. S. Chidambaram
Related rāgams This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.
Graha bhedam Valaji's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam, yields another pentatonic rāgam Abhogi. 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 more details and illustration of this concept refer Graha bhedam on Abhogi.
Scale similarities Malayamarutam is a rāgam which has shuddha rishabham in both ascending and descending scales in addition to the notes in Valaji. Its structure is : Nagasvaravali is a rāgam which has the shuddha madhyamam in place of the nishadam. Its structure is : Mohanam is a rāgam which has the chathusruti rishabham in place of the nishadam. Its structure is :
Film Songs Language: Tamil SongMovieYearComposerSingerNaan Indri Yaar Vaaruvaar(Ragamalika: Abhogi, Valaji)Maalaiyitta Mangai1958Viswanathan–RamamoorthyT. R. Mahalingam, A. P. KomalaVasantha Kaalam VarumoMarakka Mudiyumaa?1966T. K. RamamoorthyP. Suseela, K. J. YesudasYeriyile Oru Kashmir Roja (Ragamalika: Kedar/Hamirkalyani, Valaji)MadhanamaaligaiM. B. SreenivasanUnnai Yenni YennaiRagasiya Police 1151968M. S. ViswanathanP. SuseelaPottu Vaitha MugamoSumathi En Sundari1971S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, B. VasanthaThatti SellumThanga Pathakkam1974Vani Jayaram, Sai BabaPongum KadalosaiMeenava Nanban1977Vani JairamGovardhanan VanthanRaga BandhangalKunnakudi VaidyanathanKudumbathin Thalaivi Kulavilakku Olimayamaana EthirkaalamVijaya BhaskarDevi SrideviKavyamelaV. DakshinamoorthyP. LeelaOru Paarvai Nooru Kavithai(unreleased) (Ragamalika:Valaji, Sahana, Kalyana Vasantham, Bhairavi )Manoranjitham V. KumarT. M. Soundararajan, Vani JayaramNaayagan Avan OrupuramOru Vidukadhai Oru Thodarkadhai1979Gangai AmaranK.J. Yesudas, S. JanakiNaan Irukka Bayam EdarkkuNeethiyin Marupakkam1985IlaiyaraajaS. JanakiParvai TherilHemavin KadhalargalRaveendranS. P. BalasubrahmanyamNaan Thantha MaalaiOttumanganiShankar–GaneshS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Vani JairamAzhagana SandhangalAdhu Antha Kaalam1988ChandraboseK.J. Yesudas, Vani JairamPoo Ondruthaan Aboorva Nanbargal1991K. S. ChithraPaattuku Yaar Ingu PallaviBand Master1993DevaS.P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. ChithraKanchi KamatchiKilladi Mappillai1994ManoThirukona MoolamDesam2004A. R. RahmanS.P. Balasubrahmanyam, Master Vignesh, Baby PoojaYedhukkaga EnnaRummy2014D. ImmanSanthosh Hariharan, AV Pooja
Language: Telugu SongMovieYearLyricistComposerSingerSiva Pujaku Chigurinchina Siri Siri MuvvaSwarnakamalam1988Sirivennela Seetharama SastryIlaiyarajaS.P. Balasubrahmaniam, P. Susheela
Notes
References