As a Hindustani classical musician based in Bangalore, I have people often asking me about being a Hindustani classical singer in a south Indian city. My answer to that, as a classical performer, joint secretary of Chowdiah Memorial Hall and as a freelance critic, is that Bangalore is a unique south Indian city, unlike Chennai or Mysore. I think Bangalore is the only capital in the country that is equally hospitable to both the traditions. It’s a city where great artistes from the Hindustani classical space like Ninad Surve and Praveen Godkhindi live along with a Carnatic great like Sri RK Srikantan. However, the city now really needs to nurture this image. Only when you do it will you have more artistes making it their home.

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Commenting on the present scene of people taking to Hindustani classical music, I must say the scenario is a little disappointing.

As HOD of English studies in Bangalore University, imagine my dismay when I noticed that not even one student I teach is training in classical music. Fact is, not many music students pursue it intensely; they merely pursue it as a hobby. My argument is classical music is like cultivating any other interest. If you were to play tennis, you’d need to train for it and not just learn it from a book. It’s just as similar with learning music.

Classical music is specialised and you need to put in much effort to master it. Anyone who wants to make a name for themselves in this field must be willing to put in at least 10 years of systematic, rigorous training. They must acquaint themselves with the ragas, they need to gain expertise in their renditions, and then there’s the period of apprenticeship, where you are watching others in concerts. It takes time. The richness of music doesn’t come out without practise. I’ll exhort the youngsters that the traditional arts are so enriching, grab them when you can. Hindustani music also enriches you spiritually. It has given me fortitude and helped cultivate perseverance and immense patience.

But with very few takers, is classical music staring at extinction? Not at all. I think Hindustani music is really alive. Where do you think Indian film music gets its inspiration from? Off the cuff, I can cite songs from the film Roja as being based on classical ragas like Keerwani. The very popular Mile Sur Mera Tumhara is derived from the Bhairavi raag. These are archetypal classical tunes. It’s just that once we label them as Hindustani classical music, we think it’s forbidden. There’s a need to make people more aware and to do that, more lec-dems need to be organised. At times, I show my students the affinity between classical and pop music and they are surprised. I demonstrate the connection that classical music is timeless…Classical music can never be irrelevant. It’s like a vast ocean with 1,000 years of tradition.

— KS Vaishali is a noted Hindustani classical vocalist  She recieved the Karnataka Rajyotsava award in Hindustani classical music for 2011