▁ ▁In ▁Ker ala ▁there ▁has ▁always ▁been ▁a ▁strong ▁emot ional ▁debate ▁about ▁whether ▁the ▁musical ▁styles ▁of ▁Ker ala ▁const itute ▁an ▁independent ▁category ▁within ▁Indian ▁music ▁or ▁merely ▁count ▁as ▁a ▁sub div ision ▁of ▁the ▁K arn at ik ▁music ▁system . ▁While ▁the ▁K arn at ik ▁vocal ist ▁V enk itas ub ram onia ▁I yer , ▁for ▁instance , ▁states ▁that ▁" the ▁music ▁of ▁Ker ala ▁is ▁fund ament ally ▁identical ▁with ▁the ▁music ▁of ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁South ▁India " ▁( 1 9 6 9 : 5 ), ▁the ▁dram at ist ▁K aval am ▁Pan ik kar ▁as ser ts ▁"... each ▁region ▁of ▁the ▁south ▁had ▁its ▁own ▁musical ▁culture ▁which ▁continues ▁to ▁retain ▁its ▁identity ..." ▁( 1 9 9 1 : 1 3 2 ). ▁From ▁an ▁' all - Ind ian ▁perspective ' ▁we ▁would ▁suggest ▁that ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁close ▁relationship ▁between ▁K arn at ik ▁music ▁and ▁K sh et ram ▁v ady am ▁and ▁therefore ▁both ▁should ▁be ▁regarded ▁as ▁distinct ▁music ▁systems . ▁The ▁main ▁differences ▁are ▁the ▁rit ual istic ▁concepts , ▁the ▁relationship ▁of ▁music ▁and ▁mus icians ▁towards ▁the ▁rit ual , ▁the ▁music ian ▁communities , ▁gen res , ▁musical ▁instruments , ▁the ▁t ala ▁( rh yth mic ) ▁system , ▁and ▁the ▁organisation ▁and ▁importance ▁of ▁rh ythm ▁within ▁the ▁overall ▁concept . ▁The ▁similar ities ▁between ▁both ▁systems ▁are ▁not ▁more ▁significant ▁than ▁between ▁K sh et ram