This person came and said that he only wanted to learn how to tune a thambura and produce the required 'sruti' and not to learn vocal music, violin or mridangam. I was pleasantly surprised. The trainee applied himself totally to that task and within one month acquired mastery over tuning the tambura and ensuring the required 'sruti'. So far as Sruti is concerned, Hindustani musicians evoke our admiration. In Carnatic music, we must have an eye on sthana suddham in singing swaras and ragas and on clarity in pronunciation and sing with deep involvement.
Vocal music is superior to instrumental music as much as it contains sahitya enunciation.
It is said that South Indian Classical music is becoming less and less popular and that it does not attract crowds. I do not subscribe to this opinion. Good things are not always abundant and do not get distributed quickly. I find that day by day more and more people are being attracted towards Carnatic music. It is up to us musicians to sing in a pure form and not to introduce innovations at the cost of tradition with a view to attracting crowds.