Ode to a singer

‘My Life & My Thoughts – K.J. Yesudas’ comprises articles by Yesudas that have been translated into English by K.V. Pisharady

From fan to confidante K.V PisharadyPhoto: S. Mahinsha

K.J. Yesudas' mesmerising voice has won him many fans. One such fan is K.V. Pisharady. An employee of the Kerala Public Service Commission, he has compiled and translated into English articles written by Yesudas in Malayalam.

The articles written by Yesudas from the 1960's to 2007, has the singer tracing his journey in music, his struggles in life, his philosophy… And it is likewise in the book My Life & My Thoughts – K.J. Yesudas, Pisharady's ode to the singer. The book released by Ayaan Publications has Yesudas voicing his opinions on various subjects in specially allotted chapters.

Autobiographical

Says Pisharady: “The book is actually an autobiography of sorts of the singer. It has everything – right from his formative years to his views on religion and god, career and marriage, to his concern for the environment. What I like about the book is the singer's philosophical musings. The photographs that are a part of the book were obtained from Tharanginisari and from photographer Leen Thobias, who has been documenting the singer's life through his snapshots.”

The idea of a book on the singer, says Pisharady, started when he presented Yesudas a translation of the singer's poem Anveshanam (written in 2004), as a birthday gift in 2007. According to Pisharady, the singer was impressed by Pisharady's work and suggested he translate his articles and compile them into a book.

“He said he wanted the book to reach a wider audience – for those who did not know Malayalam. The book has musings of the singer collected from 32 of his articles that appeared in various Malayalam magazines,”

Snehavani

Naal

Chitrabhoomi says Pisharady, who has come a long way from being a fan of the singer to a confidante.

“I was a fan of the singer right from my bachelor days. I would hang around Tharangini Studio at Vazhuthacaud in those days in hopes of a glimpse of the singer. On his birthdays I would head to Mookambika and give him gifts. Gradually, I became a familiar face and a friendship formed between us.”

Pisharady is currently working on the Malayalam version of the book. Says Pisharady: “When Yesudas presented APJ Abdul Kalam a copy of My Life & My Thoughts – K.J. Yesudas, he suggested that the articles be brought out in its original form – Malayalam.”