Krishna, Guruvayoorappa!

 The Left government in Kerala seems to be sympathising a lot with Dr. K.J Yesudas, the gana gandharvan of India.

 

(News: Devaswom Minister G. Sudhakaran requested temple authorities to allow veteran singer – a practising Christian (!) to sing in the Guruvayoor Temple.)

Yours Truly, a devoted fan of both Guruvayoorappan and Dasettan was delighted!

I am a frequent visitor to the temple of Guruvayoor every time I am in Kerala. There was a time when my family used to go there every month.

The walk from the hotel to the temple premises is lined with an array of shops selling bangles to wooden elephants, from special Guruvayoor pappadams to different colour halwas. There are music shops, textile shops, shops that sell jasmine flowers…These shops are open all through till mid night, some of them till early morning. Around 3:00 a m when the usha pooja or the morning rituals begin, the shops start playing songs…and whose voice other than the gana gandharvan’s!

I have never heard the religion in his voice.

I have heard him sing, Krishna Nee Begane in a voice that even the Lord himself would step down and hug him. His Ayyappa devotionals, especially, Hari Harathmajam Vishwamohanam, takes you to the hills of Sabarimala wherever in the world you are! People call him an incarnation of the singers of heaven. Such is his voice, such is his passion for divinity. He has never thrashed Hindutva, Islam or Christianity, nor has he made any claims anywhere. He goes to Sabarimala and Mookambika every year, sings for the Gods there…why not Guruvayoor?

In a temple where the Lord himself is considered the little Krishna, there are strict rules for married couples and small kids. The rules faked in the pretext of traditional values and customs. How does a human entering the Srikovil destroy the sanctity of the God inside, when he himself is the creator and the preserver?

The Chembai Sangeetholsavam that happens in Guruvayoor every year is attended by millions of singers from all over the world, of course, Hindu singers. But the greatest contradiction of it all being, Yesudas himself was the greatest disciple of the great Chembai VaidhyaNatha Bhagavathar to whom this festival is dedicated!

While, Yesudas is mum about the whole issue and playing safe not to hurt sentiments and religion, he must be singing in his heart: Karuna cheyvaan enthoru thamasam Krishna….