Carnatic musician KG Jayan passes away

Kochi: Renowned Carnatic musician KG Jayan passed away at his home in Tripunithura on Tuesday. He was 89. He was undergoing treatment for various ailments.

Recognized for his soulful devotional melodies, Jayan's musical legacy spans over 1,000 compositions. He was the music director for many Tamil and Malayalam films. He was also awarded the Padmasree. His younger son is the acclaimed actor Manoj K Jayan.

Jayan, along with his twin brother K G Vijayan, collectively known as the Jaya-Vijaya duo, was the third and fourth sons of the late Gopalan Thanthrikal and late Narayani Amma in Kottayam. Their journey into the world of Carnatic music commenced at a young age. They had their arangettam at the Kumaranalloor Devi Temple when they were just nine. Initially guided by Raman Bhagavathar, their musical education later flourished under the tutelage of Mavelikkara Radhakrishna Iyer. Subsequently, they pursued advanced studies at the illustrious Swathi Thirunal College of Music in Thiruvananthapuram, where they excelled and earned distinction in their Ganabhooshanam course.

Their quest for mastery led them to learn from Carnatic luminaries such as the Alathur Brothers, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar, and M Balamuralikrishna. Under Chembai's mentorship, they embarked on their creative journey, composing and performing melodies that would resonate through generations.