From Kalolsavam to eternity: Yesudas remembers his beloved Jayan
Celestial singer K J Yesudas has paid tribute to veteran singer P Jayachandran who breathed his last on Thursday. The singer said he had been heartbroken to learn about Jayachandran's health issues but had been relieved when he learned that he had overcome his health issues and returning to good
Celestial singer K J Yesudas has paid tribute to veteran singer P Jayachandran who breathed his last on Thursday. The singer said he had been heartbroken to learn about Jayachandran's health issues but had been relieved when he learned that he had overcome his health issues and returning to good
Celestial singer K J Yesudas has paid tribute to veteran singer P Jayachandran who breathed his last on Thursday. The singer said he had been heartbroken to learn about Jayachandran's health issues but had been relieved when he learned that he had overcome his health issues and returning to good
Celestial singer K J Yesudas has paid tribute to veteran singer P Jayachandran who breathed his last on Thursday. The singer said he had been heartbroken to learn about Jayachandran's health issues but had been relieved when he learned that he had overcome his health issues and returning to good health.
“I am in deep sorrow, struggling to find the words to express my grief. Having recently learned that my beloved Jayachandran had overcome his health issues, I felt immense relief and happiness. Even though I heard the other day that his condition had worsened and he was hospitalised again, I never imagined he would leave us so suddenly. Beyond being contemporaries in the music scene, we shared a profound brotherly bond, and his departure has brought me immense pain. Memories of him now flood my heart.
Ours was a relationship shaped by time and serendipity. That connection began at the 1958 Kerala School Kalolsavam held in Thiruvananthapuram. I represented Thoppumpady St. Sebastian's School, while Jayachandran came from Irinjalakkuda National School to compete. Interestingly, Jayachandran wasn’t there to sing but to compete in Mridangam, while I participated in classical music. Both of us won first prizes in our respective categories. At the valedictory session, when the winners stepped onto the stage to perform again, it was Jayachandran, whom I had not known until then, who played the Mridangam for me,” he recalled.
That marked the beginning of a friendship that fate had reserved for the duo. “Neither of us could have imagined that we would later enter the film industry and sing together. Although circumstances at the time didn’t allow us to nurture our friendship further, fate brought us together again --this time through Jayachandran’s elder brother, Sudhakaran. By then, I had already become active in the film industry and had moved to Chennai. Sudhakaran, who also sang occasionally, played a key role in rekindling our connection.
Our friendship began to take shape during those days. Sudhakaran often accompanied me to my recordings and stage performances (ganamelas). It was during one of those times that Jayachandran, visiting his brother in Madras, reconnected with me after our initial meeting at the Kerala School Kalolsavam years ago. From that moment, our friendship deepened, filled with shared moments of music and camaraderie. We often spent our time singing, especially songs of Rafi Sahib, which we both admired and performed with reverence.
Among the songs I had sung, Jayachandran had a particular favourite: 'Thamasamenthe Varuvan.' He would tell me time and again how he could never tire of listening to that song. Our friendship continued to deepen over time. Jayan often joined me during my song recordings. Not long after, he ventured into the world of playback singing, and with songs like 'Manjalayil Mungi Thorthi,' composed by the legendary Devarajan Mash, he too started garnering attention. It was the emotion in his voice and expressive delivery that made Jayan’s song notable right from the beginning,” said Yesudas.
He further shared: “As his career flourished, we had the privilege of singing together in several movies. Among the duets we sang, 'Kanakasimhasanathil' from the film 'Arakkallan Mukkalkallan,' composed by the revered Dakshinamoorthi Swami, became one of our initial hits. Following that, the majority of the songs we recorded together were composed by Shyam and M S.Viswanathan sir.
The last song we sang together was for the film 'Chakram,' composed by Raveendran. It was a lively, fast-paced number titled 'Vattachelavinu.' Another memorable collaboration was the hit song 'Samayarathangalil' from the movie 'Chiriyo Chiri,' also composed by Raveendran. In the movie CID Unnikrishnan B.A., B.Ed., we performed the playback alongside Krishnachandran for a music concert scene.
When both of us became busy with our professions, the frequent meetings we once cherished gradually became fewer. Yet, the brotherly bond we shared never faded. A few years ago, I had the honour of presenting Jayan with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Mazhavil Manorama Mango Awards. On that special occasion, Jayan performed the song 'Podimeeshamulakkana Kaalam' on stage.Another cherished memory is from the time Jayan sang "Rajeevanayane" on a stage we shared with Sreekumaran Thampi Sir. Jayan had a voice and a unique rendition style that transcended time.
Our journey together began on the stage of a school Kalolsavam, and now, as the curtains close on yet another Kalolsavam in Thiruvananthapuram, Jayan departs from this world. Being far away, I regret that I cannot physically be there to pay my respects. However, I send my heartfelt tributes to my beloved Jayan. I pray for his soul to find eternal peace. Pranamam.