THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  An ardent devotee of Sabarimala deity, veteran singer K J Yesudas during his recent Surya concert appeared quite disturbed or perhaps haunted by the recent brouhaha over Sabarimala Ayyappa Swami.

He recounted some of the incidents in his life, which he describes as ‘God’s ultimate designs for him and his family, as is in the case of any other being.
 
An exclusive audio available with Kaumudi.com throws light on some of the lesser-known spiritual encounters of the singer and his conviction in Hindu Sanathana Dharma.
 

“It was about seven years ago that a book written about my father Augustine Joseph by one of his close friends was released.  Only when I read it, I came to know that great secret in the life of my father. In 1947, when I was 7 years, my father observed 41 days’ strict penance (vratham) and went on a pilgrimage to Sabarimala.  He never revealed that secret to my mother, me or anybody else. Later, I also followed suit after I came to know from my friend that anyone one who would observe strict vratham of 41 consecutive days could go to Sabarimala,” he says, proving a point in the present context.

The 78-year old legend further says that he is very much convinced through life experiences that his lineage lies within the magnetic field of Lord Ayyappa. “My father’s birth star is Uthram (Lord Ayyappa’s birth star), my granddaughter’s birth star is Uthrram and my younger brother’s birth star is also Uthram… What else proof you need? Similarly, my father was the first one to sing a song on Ayyappa (Padumam jagadeeshwara..)  in a film. Since he sang the song after 41 days’ vratham, years later, it was as if, the Lord decided that “may his son also sing Harivarasanam for me” …This is not something we can get by paying money or bribe… Only those who taste it can realize the Lord’s grace…At least now people should understand this.  The Lord who is sitting with his eyes closed has all the might to either shake this whole world or sustain it. Who is sitting there on Sabarimala is Dharma Shastha so dharma (righteous action) will only prevail… My only prayer is nothing bad should happen to anyone.

The concert, in which Yesudas eloquently highlighted the importance of 41-day penance and life incidents that got him closer and closer to Ayyapa day by day, was soaked in bhakti.  The Padma Vibhushan winner also didn’t forget to add that he was offering the day’s kutcheri  (Karnatic concert) to the feet of Lord Ayyappa.