KOCHI: The disharmony won’t be music to the ears! The Kochi corporation’s ambitious plan to acquire the childhood home of legendary musician K J Yesudas and convert it into a museum appears to have hit a sour note almost as soon as it was announced.
In its 2026-27 budget presented on Tuesday, the civic body earmarked `6 crore for the project, which includes setting up a museum at the Bastion Road residence in Fort Kochi and developing a “musical street” as a tribute to the Ganagandharvan, as Yesudas is endearingly called.
However, the current owner has made it clear he has no intention of handing over the property, raising questions over whether the corporation did its groundwork before making the announcement.
C A Nazer, a Fort Kochi-based trader who purchased the property several years ago and now runs a hotel there, said the corporation has not even approached him.
“A few years ago, I had plans to hand over the property to anyone or sell it. Later, I renovated the building and leased it to other parties to run restaurants and cafes. Now I operate a hotel on the premises. There is also another restaurant. The corporation has not discussed the project with me. At present, I have no plan to hand over the property,” Nazer said.
His categorical refusal clearly indicates that the civic body announced the proposal without consulting the property owner.
The house, where Yesudas was born and brought up, was earlier owned by his younger brothers. It was later sold to another Fort Kochi native, from whom Nazer acquired it.
“Decades ago, my father was interested in buying this property. However, we could not do so. Later, I purchased this. This is an ancient building, and we have managed it without compromising its heritage. Also, once I came to know that Yesudas had an emotional attachment to the mango tree here, we preserved it even during the renovation,” he recalled.
At the heart of the property stands a 70-year-old mango tree planted by Yesudas’ mother. Now an iconic landmark, the tree was retained when the house was renovated, with the structure built around it.
When the property changed hands, Yesudas is said to have insisted that the tree be preserved. Today, it forms the centrepiece of the hotel and restaurant operating on the premises, often drawing curious tourists. The tree is also part of Fort Kochi’s heritage trail.
“Even now, his family and friends come here to water the tree. Seeing the affection his family, friends, and fans have for this place, I also planned to set up a museum on the first floor of the building,” Nazer added.
Deputy mayor Deepak Joy said the civic body would initiate discussions soon after securing state government approval. “We will discuss the plan with the owner of the property. The project will be funded with the corporation’s own funds, state government assistance, and support from various agencies. A detailed project document will be prepared immediately, and discussions will be held with the National Cultural Trust regarding the operations of the facility,” he said.
The detailed project report is to be prepared by the Centre for Heritage, Environment and Development (C-Hed), an agency under the Kochi corporation.
Cultural observers believe the proposal has the potential to boost tourism and strengthen Kochi’s cultural identity — if executed with consensus.
“Dassettan is such a legendary singer. A museum would help boost the city’s art and culture. Organising music events in Kochi will attract many music lovers. Even in Tamil Nadu, the Thiruvaiyaru Thyagaraja music festival draws large crowds. We need such activities so that future generations can also learn about such legendary artists. Since Fort Kochi is one of the most prominent tourist destinations, the initiative will help in the development of the tourism sector too,” said R K Damodaran, poet and lyricist.
He added that a cosmopolitan city like Kochi should accord equal importance to culture and heritage.