Yesudas granted permission to pray at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 18 (IANS) Legendary playback singer K.J. Yesudas has been given permission to pray at the famed Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple here on the occasion of Vijayadashami, a member of the erstwhile Travancore Royal family said on Monday.

As per the tradition of the temple anyone who believes in Hinduism is given permission to pray. Yesudas, born to a Roman Catholic family, in a letter sent through a special messenger to the temple authorities, sought permission to pray. The issue was discussed by the temple on Monday and the permission was granted.

Vijayadashami falls on September 30, and Yesudas will also render a song that day at the temple.

Speaking to IANS, Aditya Varma of the royal family, confirmed that the executive committee meeting of the temple has given permission for Yesudas to pray at the temple.

"He has to follow all the rules and regulations stipulated and if he does that he can come and pray," said Varma.

The representative of the royal family is a member of the temple committee.

Yesudas has always said that despite singing numerous songs on Lord Guruvayoorappan, he is yet to see the deity at the famed Sree Krishna Temple, Guruvayoor in Thrissur district, as the temple bars non-Hindus from entering.

Yesudas in his signing career, that has entered its 56th year, has recorded more than 100,000 songs 14 languages.

He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1975, Padma Bhushan in 2002 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2017.