#365DaysOfWriting — Day 247

Happy birthday Yesudas

गोरी तेरा गाँव बड़ा प्यारा…

I begin today’s post with my favourite Yesudas song on his birthday. For a man who is a legend in South Indian cinema, he certainly left an indelible mark on Bollywood. Truly great singers transcend languages – Yesudas was one of them.

I’ll tell you why Yesudas singing in Hindi was a great deal.

For a Malayali native, Hindi accents don’t come naturally. There is a certain distinct twang in the way Hindi is spoken, and (quite unfairly) that twang is often ridiculed by native Hindi speakers. Heck, even I make fun of it at times. For Yesudas to come to Bollywood, after years of singing in Malayalam films, and singing with such confidence and panache, must’ve taken a lot of hard work and dedication (effortless as it may have sounded). True, Yesudas didn’t have to prove anything to anyone, and he would’ve been a legend even without his Hindi work, but the very fact that his Hindi songs are as legendary speaks volumes of the man.

I’ll share a few more of my favourite Yesudas songs.

Manichitratazhu from Manichitratazhu.

Vaishakha sandhye from Nadodikattu.

O Priye from Aniyathipravu.

सुरमई अँखियों में from सदमा.

सुनैना from सुनैना.

जब दीप जले आना from चिटचोर.

There are many, many more – but these are the ones that immediately come to mind. Happy birthday Yesudas. Keep the दीप burning brightly, as always.

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