An institution called K J Yesudas
By Pradeep
Padmashree K J Yesudas, one of the best known Indian singers, who gave his sweat and blood for music turned sixty on January 10. Here's a rendezvous with the ace singer.
There is one voice that the Malayalee, world over, recognises. It is a voice that has become part of the collective memory of the Malayalee. It wafts in the wind, hauntingly; ushering in memories both happy and gloomy, of the land the Malayalee calls his own. K J Yesudas is Kerala's very own voice.
And after recording over 40,000 songs and winning scores of accolades including the coveted Padmashree honour and seven national awards for the best playback singer, Malayalam's very own Gana Gandharvan (the divine singer) is still breathing music and enchanting music lovers the world over.
The hallmark of this gifted singer has been his ability to defeat a hostile environment; a propensity for hard work and a never-ending quest for excellence in a field that he has turned his own. He has been able to achieve this discipline as he had a mission in life, a dream to fulfill.
His father, the noted stage actor-singer of yesteryears, Augustine Joseph, was determined to turn his eldest son into a singer. He spared no efforts in doing so. There was a time when Augustine Joseph was the toast of the town. His house at Thoppumpady in Kochi was literally filled with friends and fans, who spent the day eating and talking. But when the man fell on bad days there were very few to extend a helping hand.
Young Yesudas grew up in penury, but there was this goal that he had set for himself. There was his father's dream that he knew he had to fulfill. When he was taunted and scoffed at for being a Christian and attempting to learn Carnatic music, when he was almost chucked out of the RLV Music Academy for defaulting on the monthly fees, when he was asked to sleep in the car shed of an eminent musician, when he had to travel miles in Chennai living mainly on tap water when music directors initially found him ineffective and then, when AIR, Trivandrum considered his voice not good for broadcasting - Yesudas suffered patiently. All these only acted as catalysts that sparked off his long cherished dream.
All that the young singer needed was a break. And this he got through divine intervention. Director K S Antony needed a new male voice and the choice was Vaikkom Chandran. But the noted stage singer suggested the name of the upcoming singer, who was by then making a mark through his ganamelas. The film 'Kalpaddukal' in 1961 saw the birth of a new voice. The few lines composed by Narayana Guru ironically expounded his life's policy of ''one caste, one religion, one God''. The rest is history.
A phenomenon in South Indian film music, Yesudas has overcome language barriers and sung over 40,000 songs in a career spanning nearly four decades.Yesudas' classical style has often come in for harsh criticism. There are many purists who consider his style neither Carnatic nor Hindustani. But once again, through sheer perseverance and hard work he went on to prove his critics wrong. Every year he prepared diligently before the Madras concerts, singing elaborate pallavis and rare ragas. But the truth is that Yesudas has been greatly instrumental in popularising Carnatic music.
Yesudas got his first recognition at the tender age of seven, when he won a gold medal for music at a local competition in Fort Cochin. He got the prestigious national award for best playback singer seven times: Manushyan Mathangale Srishtichu (Achanum Bappayum-Malayalam) in 1972, Padmatheerthame (Gayatri-Malayalam) in 1973, Gori Tera (Chit Chor-Hindi) in 1979, Akashadeshamu (Meghasandesham-Telugu) in 1985, Unnikale Oru Kathaparayam (Unnikale Oru Kathaparayam-Malayalam) in 1987, Ramakatha Ganalayam (Bharatham-Malayalam) in 1991 and for songs in the film Sopanam in 1993. He has won the award for the best playback singer in Malayalam ever since its inception in 1969, except for seven times. (From 1987 to 1991 he had opted out of the race to facilitate opportunities for fresh talents). He picked up his 23rd state award last year.
The other major accolades India's ace singer received were - the best playback singer award in Tamil in 1988 and 1992, best playback singer award in Telugu in 1988, Sangeetha Raja Puraskaram in 1974, Sangeetha Chakravarthy Puraskaram in 1988, Sangeetha Sagaram Puraskaram in 1987, Lata Mangeshkar Award of the Madhya Pradesh government in 1992 and National Citizens' Award in 1994. Turning sixty this January 10, the voice that has brightened up the lives of millions all these years continues ageless and is bound to be heard for centuries to come.
Music is devotion for Yesudas and nothing mundane carries him away. When he made his debut in films way back in 1962, the recording process was simple and unsophisticated, though laborious. Imparting the needed feeling to the lines in the presence of the music director and other film technicians was comparatively easy. With recording going hi-tech and track recording turning out to be the order of the day, 'emotion' usually became the causality. But this was not the case with Yesudas.
Even when recordings were done from his studios, set up at his residence in Florida, listening to just the track-recordings and with no clue of the story-line of the film, Yesudas was still able to breathe life into them, giving it the emotions that blend so well with the lyrics and most importantly, the scene itself. Some of the recent songs stand testimony to this quality, which none of the recent singers have been able to imbibe.
It was the late Salil Choudhary who provided the break for Yesudas in Hindi films in 1976. His first venture Anand Mahal was not a big box-office hit though the Yesudas-Sabita number Aa Aa Re Mitwa... was noticed. It was the film Chit Chor under Ravindra Jain that really launched Yesudas in Hindi films.
"Sing with your voice and with your heart and with all your moral convictions. Sing the new songs, not only with your tongue but with your life," says Yesudas.
Having gone through all sorts of experiences - bitter and sweet - and after 40,000 songs and many an accolade, what do you long for now?
I consider the recognition significant, especially at this stage of my career. It means that even today the people appreciate your work. I've always believed that any artiste should stop the moment he senses that his audiences no longer want him. I feel overwhelmed with the love and appreciation people shower on me. I feel extremely happy.
Do you feel you have played your part well or do you feel much remains to be done?
I don't feel like I have not achieved much or I have not done what I have to. One may have nurtured many ambitions at a younger age. But now I realise that my destiny is not in my hands. And for quite a long time, I haven't longed for anything.
You had earlier talked about cherishing the dream of a music university. Do you still have that idea in mind?
That still remains a dream. And I am more convinced now that it is too luxurious a dream for an individual. It is primarily the responsibility of the government. People like me are mere tools.
Your classical style and method have often come under attack by critics, saying it is neither Carnatic nor Hindustani?
You can call my style Bharatheeya if you think I don't fit into the accepted genres. If you think that I'm too light, it's the reward for my hard work. Making things simple is not easy after all! Very often I feel the pull of strong, diverse forces. One, the ordinary listener, who insists that I should not turn complex during my concerts and the other, who coaxes me to become more elaborate and intricate. I have tried to adopt a style and method that satisfies both.
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