The executive committee of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple here on Monday gave formal permission to singer K.J. Yesudas to offer prayers at the temple.
The temple allows only Hindus and those who declare faith in Hinduism and its modes of worship to enter and offer prayers. Mr. Yesudas had on Saturday given such a declaration along with his application to enter the temple which was delivered via a special messenger.
A member of the executive committee told The Hindu that the decision to grant entry to the singer was unanimous and was based on his known belief in Hinduism and in the Hindu way of worshipping in temples. “Now the singer has to communicate to us when he would like to come to the temple. He would be permitted to enter by following all the rules and regulations of the temple,” the committee member said.
Even though Mr. Yesudas is a regular visitor to the Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala, temples such as the Sreekrishna temple at Guruvayur and the Kadampuzha Devi temple have consistently denied permission to him saying that he was not a Hindu.