Legendary singer K.J. Yesudas has applied for permission to offer worship at the centuries-old Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, where only believers of Hinduism are permitted.
The temple authorities said, the singer, a Christian by birth, sent the request letter and declaration of his faith in Hinduism through a special messenger on Saturday evening.
Temple executive officer V. Ratheesan said though Mr. Yesudas did not mention any particular date, the messenger informed that the singer would like to visit the temple on Vijayadasami, which falls on September 30.
“As per our custom, anyone who believes in Hinduism can visit the temple and offer worship. There are no restrictions for that,” he said.
“We all know about Mr. Yesudas’s faith in Hinduism and now he has given a declaration in this regard. So, as of now, there is no issue for him to visit the temple,” the official said.
Non-Hindus and foreigners are permitted inside the sprawling temple dedicated to Lord Padmanabha after accepting similar declarations, he said.
Hailing from a Roman Catholic family, the Malayalam singer had earlier been denied entry into the Sree Krishna Temple at Guruvayur in Thrissur district and Kadampuzha Devi Temple in Malappuram for being a ‘non-Hindu.’
However, Mr. Yesudas has been a regular visitor of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple and Mookambika Devi Temple at Kollur in Karnataka.
