SABARIMILA: Tamil playback singer P K Veeramanidasan was presented with this year's prestigious Harivarasanam award at a ceremony held at Sannidhanam on Monday.

Kerala Devaswom Minister K Radhakrishnan bestowed the award, which includes a purse of Rs 1,00,000 and a citation, according to an official release.

Veeramanidasan, known for his devotionals, has lent his voice to over 6,000 spiritual songs in languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Sanskrit.

The Harivarasanam Award is an accolade jointly instituted by the Kerala Government and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).

Expressing his joy after receiving the award, Veeramanidasan shared that this recognition marks his first accolade in a career spanning decades.

''This is a very happy and proud moment for me,'' he added.

Highlighting the collaborative nature of music, Veeramanidasan said that great musical creations emerge when lyricists, composers, orchestras and singers collaborate.

He concluded the event by leaving the stage after delivering a soulful Ayyappa devotional song.

The event also witnessed the minister releasing a devotional album titled ''Ayyan Vazhum Poomala,'' produced by Kuriakos Maniattukudi, an American resident.