So K.J. Yesudas could pray at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple. Just as the singer wished.
The temple’s executive committee’s decision is likely to be welcomed by most Malayalis, irrespective of their religious faith. Significantly, actor Suresh Gopi, an MP nominated by the BJP, was among the first to state that Yesudas’s request should be accepted.
It is not the first time though that Yesudas has expressed his wish to visit a Hindu temple. Years ago, he was denied the permission to enter the Guruvayur Sreekrishna temple. There were many Hindus who believed that the man who sang arguably the most popular song on Guruyurappan – Guruvayoorambala nadayil… (Othenante Makan) – should be granted the permission. That, of course, is just one of the several popular Hindu devotional songs that Yesudas has rendered.
And this is at a time when a Minister who looks after temple affairs is being questioned if it was proper for him to follow the rituals while visiting temples despite being a communist.
Many of the all-time hits in Hindu devotional music in Malayalam, in fact, are sung by him, including Harivaraasanam… (Swami Ayyappan), which has been played at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple for the last few decades. That is, of course, one temple where people of all religions are free to offer prayers.
The other songs from Swami Ayyappan, like “Sabarimalayali thanka…” and “Mannilum vinnilum…” too continue to be played at temples. Most of the 1975 film’s songs were rendered by Yesudas. Many of them were written by Vayalar Ramavarma and all of them composed by G. Devarajan, neither of whom was known as religious.
It is not the only instance in India’s most popular music of art succeeding to blur the boundaries of religion. The timeless Hindi bhajan from Baiju Bawra, “Man tadpat Hari darshan…” were created by three Muslims – lyricist Shakeel Badayuni, composer Naushad and singer Mohammed Rafi.
At a time when there is a perception that the country is getting increasingly divided along the lines of religion, the thought of Yesudas offering prayers at the Sreepadmanabhaswamy temple, possibly on the day of Vijayadashami, is rather a pleasant one.