Renowned Carnatic vocalist and playback singer K J Yesudas has applied for permission to offer prayers at the iconic Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram, where only believers of Hinduism are permitted. The temple authorities said, the singer, a Christian by birth, sent the request by letter and declaration of his faith in Hinduism through a special messenger last evening.
Hailing from a Roman Catholic family, the noted singer had earlier been denied entry into the famous Sree Krishna temple at Guruvayur in Thrissur district and Kadampuzha Devi temple in Malappuram for being a ‘non-Hindu’.It must be noted that Yesudas sang many devotional songs about these temples…
Temple Executive officer V Ratheesan, IAS, said on though Yesudas did not mention any particular date, the messenger informed that the singer would like to visit the shrine on Vijayadasami, which falls on September 30.
“As per our customs, anyone who believes in Hinduism can visit the Padmanabha Swamy Temple and offer prayers. There are no restrictions for that,” he told media on Sunday.
“We all know about Yesudas’s faith in Hinduism and now he has given a declaration in this regard. So, as of now, there is no issue for him to visit the shrine,” the official said. Non-Hindus and foreigners are permitted inside the sprawling shrine dedicated to Lord Padmanabha after accepting similar declarations, he said.
Hailing from a Roman Catholic family, the noted singer had earlier been denied entry into the famous Sree Krishna temple at Guruvayur in Thrissur district and Kadampuzha Devi temple in Malappuram for being a ‘non-Hindu’. It must be noted that Yesudas sang many devotional songs about these temples and the deities of these temples for the past five decades.
However, Yesudas has been a regular visitor to the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala and Mookambika temple at Kollur in Karnataka.
- NIA confiscates Pak-harboured Khalistani terrorist Lakhbir Singh Rode’s key aide’s land in Moga - April 19, 2024
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi: A Gujju businessman who does not invest his precious time for a losing battle - April 13, 2024
- NIA arrests two accused Shazib and Taahaa in Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe blast case from Kolkata - April 12, 2024
So what or who is a “Hindu”? Apart from the Constitutional and Legal definitions which anyone can access on the net, we all understand this as a DHARMA, and not a Religion. These two are not the same, just as the Sun and a firefly are not the same though they both emit light. The mistake we make in defining a thing or person is to say:
“S/He is a Hindu, a Brahmana, a Kshathriya, etc. and therefore s/he has to be like this and this and this!”
We should say:
“S/He is like this and this and this, and therefore s/he is a Hindu, a Brahmana, a Kshathriya!”
So how is Yesudas not a Hindu? Or LESS a Hindu than many who object to him being called one? There is only test and one test alone for this.
IF YESUDAS BELIEVES THAT RELIGIOUS CONVERSION THROUGH EVANGELIZATION AND PROPOGATION IS WRONG; IF HIS CONVICTION IS THAT FORMAL CONVERSION IS ADHARMA AND A VILOENCE; IF HE IS SURE THAT ALL OF US ARE EQUAL (and equal does not mean “same”) IN THE EYE OF THE PARAMAATHMAN, If HE ACCEPTS AS A MORAL WRONG AND IGNORANCE THE THOUGHT, SPEECH AND ACT THAT CONDEMNS THE NON-CHRISTIAN AND NON-MUSLIM TO A “HELL”; IF HE BELIEVES THAT EACH JEEVAN HAS A RIGHT TO BE WHERE IT IS BORN AND HAS THE RIGHT TO MOVE ON TOWARDS THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION iN A MANNER MOST SUITED TO IT –
then Yesudas is as Hindu as anyone can be. He too has the right to worship where he wants, with the temple authorities taking the same precautions as hey would with any other worshipper. Let us not do a dis-service to our great Dharma by setting monolithic and abrahamic religions as a standard of comparison by which to judge it.
Take out Yesudas from this and try to re-write a reply…. I am sure the thought process will change.
It is only to make sure that a person who is practicing a different religion/belongs to a different religion by birth are visiting temples in true faith but not for picnic
I think since he believes in Temple God & Hinduism he should be allowed. Since he has declared he believes he is now both Hindu & Christian despite of contradictions arising due to exclusive beliefs in Christianity. Hinduism is always open religion with all contradicting beliefs like Advaitha versus Dvaitha. If he accepts the diversity then he is Hindu as Christians don’t believe in diversity of belief system. Now it is turn of True Christians to decide whether he is Christian or not.
Dear Friends,
He is a has a good voice and i like his songs. It is good this he believes in the religion of his ancestors and has declared it so. Now worshipping a ‘False god’ as it is preached by their priest during surmon is a great sin (already according to them all are born sinners in that faith) . Unlike other faiths originating from desert which need a book and a medium (priest or an organization which tightly binds them and look for more followers to swell its rank) and which has history of destruction and disruption Hindus can directly talk with their gods and unlike other faith are not made to call themselves sinners. I suggest let him reconvert to Hinduism. The elders in Kerala must facilitate his conversion to the faith of his forefathers.
Six decades of singing devotional songs does not make a person spiritual. Its his profession and his way of earning living. I have seen generations of muslims making garlands just adjacent to temples. Does that make them more hindu?? People should think beyond on the box to understand.
If he loves Sanatana Dharma so much, then why doesn’t he leave foreign Abrahamic faith ?
Time has come for the Hindus to look at Abrahamic religious minorities in India differently. At the end of the day what is more important is to get people like Yesudas etc from Abrahamic regions back in Hindu fold (remember their ancestors were Hindus who for some reasons including allurements converted to Abrahamic faiths). Hindus must not remain rigid re temple entry etc kind of trivia and must bear big picture view in mind and thus invent some transient “space between two religions” for the believers from other Abrahamic religions and eventually embrace people like Yesudas in Hinduism fold. Given the church and islamist onslaught, Hindus must aim to maximise their population in India, which is the sole guarantee for India surviving as a democratic and progressive nation. Its a serious challenge and Hindus must ensure solitary focus on maximising number of Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Jains in India vis-a-vis Abrahamic religions which have a clear agenda of fragmenting India
Yesudas can convert to hinduism and again entry to Padmanabhaswamy temple. This is really a Church conspiracy. These Christ-Islamic block tried to play against Guruvayur temple and Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple. Beware Hindus.
Why? Are any of the Hindu singers allowed in Churches,mosques? Remember what they have done to Sonu Nigam?All of them have sung MANY christian & muslimbhajans/hymns…? Why are the Hindus ONLY BEING RAIDED? Why ONLY TAKE…TAKE…TAKE… WHY NO GIVE? These artists are ONLY TROJAN HORSES.
It is unfair by certain temples in blocking entry of Yesudas. Yesudas should be permitted considering his six decade long glorious music renderings on many Hindu Gods.
No doubt he has rendered beautiful songs but that should not be a benchmark to flout rules pertaining to the age old Hindu system of according entry in Sabarimala Temple.