SABARIMALA: Noted singer P Jayachandran was presented with the third Harivarasanam award at a ceremony at the Sree Dharma Sastha auditorium, here, on Sunday.
Devaswom Minister V S Sivakumar, who presented the award, memento, citation and a cash prize of `50,000, said the selection of Jayachandran for the Harivarasanam award was a fitting one for his contributions to devotional songs on Lord Ayyappa.The winners of the previous two awards, instituted by the State Government in association with the Travancore Devaswom Board, were K J Yesudas and Jayan, he said.
Raju Abraham, MLA, presided over the function. Travancore Devaswom Board member Subhash Vasu welcomed the gathering. TDB member P K Kumaran offered felicitations. Devaswom Department secretary Jyothilal delivered the introductory address. Delivering the reply speech, P Jayachandran said the award was an acknowledgment of his faith towards Lord Ayyappa.
He expressed gratitude for the selection for the award. To express his deep devotion to Lord Ayyappa, Jayachandran sang the noted devotional song “Sree Sabareesa Deenadayaloo”.Devaswom commissioner P Venugopal proposed a vote of thanks.