For Malayalis, KJ Yesudas name is linked with music. No one has arrived to take the place of that gentle voice, even though time has passed. Ganagandharvan, the music director of Malayalam films, turns 84 today. Sarath, who composed nostalgic songs for the Malayalam language, wishes him a happy birthday. Yesudas sang most of Sarath’s songs. Sarath claims to be a little boy standing on the banks of the melodic ocean that Yesudas created. All three hands of the gods bless the voice of KJ Yesudas. Sarath claims that the eloquence, tone, and gentleness of his voice never cease to astound him. In an interview with Manorama Online, Sarath expressed his happiness on Dasetan’s birthday and prayed for a long life and good health for his lover.
” The lovely tunes that KJ Yesudas has performed come to mind when we hear his name. How a man can sing so impossibly has always astounded me. I’m curious how he performs songs like “Nadabrahmatut Sagaram” vocally. How can a composer of music sing so tenderly and convey the essence of a song written so exquisitely? And his literal fluency astounded me. The tunes can definitely be written down with only one listen, regardless of how challenging they are. His voice is another. It takes effort to achieve such a beautiful tone. All the Gods with their three hands bless his voice.
I actually appreciate Dasetan’s voice when he first started singing, especially when you compare it to his middle and current tones. It’s impossible to continue singing. That young man’s voice is really pleasant to hear. Some of these are classic album tracks, such as “You want to meet someone, and when you play, you cry and have tears on your cheeks.” Things had somewhat changed by the time he performed “Aa Trisandhya Than Anagha Mudras”. This amazing man sings, as if it’s impossible, “I pinched your cheek, girl with the hazel eyes.” His tone at that moment reminded me of the blissful sensation you get after eating halwa. We unintentionally enter this state when we put it in our mouths. His middle years were filled with the softness and virility of youth after that. If love songs are performed, even people who do not understand the concept of love would fall in love. Dasetan doesn’t hear the sound of one string when he sings, “One string is humming,” but rather the sound of 100,000 strings. Others can identify him by the sound of his voice as male. Not to mention other vocalists, but no one can match the song by Dasetan. It is a consensus among composers what I am stating.
Eighty percent of the songs I sang were performed by Dasetan. My luck is like that. When I first saw Dasetan, he’s singing like a pottu in a song from a distance. When I visit a music festival on those days, the crowds make it impossible for me to see. “Don’t move here” and he would kick and hurl us away since I am small. I still recall seeing a performance by Salil Chaudhary, sir. Dasetan performed the song “Mane, Mane call you” in it. His song arrived on that broad land and went straight to the people’s chests instead of their ears. His voice remained pleasant throughout, the only thing that changed with time was that it grew monotonous.
Even if he doesn’t drink any water, he keeps on practicing. He informed me that the secret is to practice. He still sings impossible Carnatic music at concerts due of that practice. Other from his beard turning grey, he is unchanged. His big gray beard bothers me. We will not be able to notice the shift in that form, so we have an image of him in our minds. Prabhachechi doesn’t like white beard, I once told him. The sister then advised Sarath to inform Dasetan about it personally. I know that Dasetan will murder me if I go and tell, which is why I chose not to.
Dasetan doesn’t change. Nobody has a voice as good as his, and I doubt anyone can sing as many songs as he did. No one else is his equal for a millennium save him. Or God needs to do a miracle. He sang the traditional songs that express the essence of Malayalam, rather than just singing a million songs. Isn’t that the reason why we still hear the song “Kayambu Kannil Vitaram” in our hearts? He sings like a god. It has been said to us, “Oh, why didn’t we get an award for this?” after he sang songs that as a composer were not even appropriate for kindergarten students. Padmavibhushan and Padmashree Padmabhushan One such person is Dr. KJ Yesudas. The pride of the Malayalees is him. With confidence, we may declare that such a person is our own wherever we go.
After the Corona virus hit, Dasetan left for the US and never returned. We are all eager to meet Ganagandharvan, receive his blessings, and exchange a few words. Everyone who enjoys music is eager for him to return. When I questioned Vijay about why Dasetan had not shown up, he replied, “Sharathettan call; father will come sometime if Chettan calls.” However, it was known that he would shortly return home.
Best wishes for a wonderful birthday, Dasetan. I hope he recovers nicely. I want to ask for His blessings on this auspicious day. I’m not sure whether I’m mature enough to wish him well. That sound is timeless. His voice sounds 48 years old if he is 84 years old. Sarath remarked, “There is always only Dasetan instead of Dasetan.”
Who is the K. J. Yesudas?
Indian playback singer and musician Kattassery Joseph Yesudas (/jeːʃud̪aːs/; born January 10, 1940) performs devotional, romantic, and classical Indian music. He is regarded as a Keralan cultural icon and one of the best singers in Indian music history.