Bombay Jayashri, carnatic singer and 'nightingale of South India', in PJ concert

Bombay Jayashri plays a concert at the PJ Civic Centre Auditorium on March 2. Photo: Handout

Through all the dramatic changes experienced within the Hindustani traditions of Northern India, the classical traditions of the South remained largely content to remain within the secure confines of “tradition”.

A style commonly regarded as a “purer” expression than its North Indian Hindustani counterpart replete with a vibrant history of cosmopolitan interactions, the South Indian Carnatic tradition boasted a grand legacy of diverse styles and schools that nevertheless prided itself on the idea of “authenticity” to tradition and lineage.