A Malayalam patriotic poem titled 'Keralaganam' (roughly translated as ‘song of Kerala’) penned by freedom fighter and poet Bodheswaran in 1938 will be sung as the opening song of all cultural events to be organised in the state, Kerala Culture Minister Saji Cherian said on Sunday, July 3. The minister made the announcement at the foundation stone laying ceremony of Kerala State Film Development Corporation's (KSFDC) multiplex theatre at Vaikom in Kottayam district.
Cherian said that the 25-line poem beginning with "Jaya Jaya Komala Kerala Dharani" was declared as the cultural song of Kerala in 2014 but was never sung at any cultural events. "It has been 13 months since I became the Culture Minister. Despite participating in many cultural events, I have never heard this cultural song sung anywhere," the minister said and expressed happiness for singing the song for the first time at the stone laying ceremony at Vaikom.
Congratulating singers V Devanand and Vaikom Vijayalakshmi for beautifully singing the song, Cherian said KSFDC Chairman Shaji N Karun has been directed to take steps to set the music for the song. The minister also said Devanand and Vijayalakshmi will sing the song after composing music for the lyrics.
Keralaganam was sung at the first meeting of the Kerala Legislative Assembly after the formation of the state. Then it was sung by All India Radio artistes Saradamani and Radhamani, known as Paravoor sisters.
The Kerala government in 2018 had set up a panel, with the then Cultural Department Secretary Rani George as the convenor, for choosing an official song for the state. Apart from the convener, critic M Leelavathi, poet Ezhachery Ramachandran, MM Basheer, MR Raghava Warrier and KP Mohanan were the other members of the committee.