Singer-songwriter K G Jayan goes gone

K G Jayan, a Carnatic musician and music director, died away on Tuesday morning at his Tripunithura home.

The artist, who was 89 years old, had health issues associated to aging. As a passionate follower of Lord Ayyappa, Jayan began his musical career sixty years ago. He wrote songs with his brother Vijayan, and the duo of Jaya and Vijaya, who served as their music directors, produced a number of moving devotional songs that are still cherished by followers.

Every day at opening, the hymn “Sreekovil nada thurannu” is played in the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple. His younger son, actor Manoj K Jayan, is one of the top performers in Mollywood. The burial will take place later. The corpse is being detained at the morgue of the Tripunithura Government Hospital.

The songs that Jaya-Vijaya wrote for Malayalam films such as Dharma Sastha, Nirakudam, Sneham, and Theruvugeetham were highly acclaimed. They also wrote songs for Tamil films, including Padapooja, Shamukhapriya, and Pappathi.

Jayan carried on with his profession as a concert conductor and composer of devotional songs after the death of his brother Vijayan in 1988. Jaya-Vijaya penned the first Ayyappa devotional songs performed by vocalists K J Yesudas and K Jayachandran.

On November 21, 1934, Jayan was born in Kottayam’s Kadamboothra Madam to Gopalan Thantri, a disciple of social reformer Sree Narayana Guru, and Narayani Amma. At the age of six, Jayan began studying Carnatic music with his brother Vijayan, and four years later, he gave his debut performance at the Kumaranalloor Devi temple in Kottayam.

Following the pair’s performance of a devotional song at the Hindu Mandalam gathering, Mannath Padmanabhan, the founder of the Nair Service Society, had recommended Jaya-Vijaya to pursue her musical education. Jayan finished his studies at Swati Thirunnal Sangeetha Academy in Ganabhooshanam music.

Even though Jayan was hired as a primary school teacher, he left the position to focus on his music. Jayan used to give annual performances in Sabarimala Sannidhanam, thanks to the popularity of his devotional songs dedicated to Ayyappa.

Recipient of several accolades, including as the Travancore Devaswom Board’s Harivarasanam award, Jaya-Vijaya became well-known for her albums Thiruvabharanam and other releases.

In 1991, he received the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi award, and in 2019, he was awarded the Padmasri.

The songs Hridayam Devalayam from Theruvu geetham and Nakshatradeepangal Tilangi from the film Nirakudam were immediate blockbusters.

V K Sarojini, Jayan’s late wife, was a teacher. Sons Manoj K. Jayan and Biju K. Jayan, as well as daughters-in-law Asha Manoj and Priya Biju, survive him.