Carnatic music preserves its classical identity not only through its musicality, but also by carefully creating and enforcing codes of conduct based on caste, gender, culture, aesthetics, and attire for both artistes and connoisseurs. This article attempts to bring to the fore some contemporary discussions on concepts of purity in Carnatic music and argues that these influence how "traditionalists" engage with those who argue for the democratisation of music. These debates throw light on the ideologically embedded musical concepts and criteria set by its guardians to represent the images of Carnatic music.
