About Annamayya
Saint Annamacharaya
Annamacharya, The Saint-Composer was born in the year 1408 According to Telugu “PANCHANGAM” (calendar) the month & star of His birth are : Vyshakha Masam l Vishakha Nakshatram.
Copper plate containing the Song of Annamacharaya
He composed 32,000 Sankeertanas (devotional songs) and dedicated them to Lord Venkateswar.
Sankeertana Bhandaram
His Son, Peda Tirumalacharya and Grandson, Chinatirumalacharya got the Sankeertanas of Annamacharya engraved on copper-plates and Treasured those Copper Plates in “Sankeertana Bhandaram” (a rock-built-cell at TIRUMALA temple).
Tallapaka
He hailed from TALLAPAKA. A village in Cuddapah district of Andhra Pradesh in INDIA.
- Saint Annamacharya is the first ” VAGGEYAKARA” (a person who can compose lyrics,music and sing) of Telugu Literature.
- He sang only for the pleasure of the Almighty and to convey the message for the upliftment of mankind,unmindful of materialistic gains.
- Through the purity of His “SANKEERTANAMANTRAS” (SANKEERTANA = Devotional songs, MANTRAS = Coined group of divine words which yield various results when uttered for a prescribed period)
- Knowing the greatness and spiritual power of Annamacharya,King SALUVANARASINGARAYA offers a respectable position of a GURU(teacher) to Annamacharya in his royal court.
- One day saint sings a song in the tradition of “MADHURA BHAKTI” (madhurabhakti is a kind of devotion in which the devotee becomes a Heroine and worships the Lord as his own beloved Hero)on the request of the king.
- Allured by the apparent romantic meaning of the song,king asks the saint to sing similar composition on himself.The saint says that he can only sing the glory of the Lord and not the human.
- The Ego of the King gets hurt and he chains the saint with shakles and imprisons Him.The saint sings a song thinking of Lord VENKATESHWARA with agony.As a result of the spiritual power in his song the chains get broken.
- The king asks for the pardon and requests Him to stay on in his court .The Saint advises the king that he should not insult the devotees as the god himself gets hurt.
- Annamacharya leaves the royal court for Thirumala,the court of VENKATESHWARA.Annamacharya introduces many “SEVAS” (services)” to the”Lord VENKATESHWARA” at “Tirumala Temple” and propagated His philosophy & glory through his “SANKEERTANAS” .
Family Tree
Annamacharya Sankeertanas
Annamacharya is revered with the title "Pada Kavita Pitamaha", meaning the Grandfather of the poetic form called Padam — a form of lyrical poetry set to music.
Since these songs are devotional in nature, they are often called Sankeertanas.
What is a Padam?
A Padam is a poetic song, typically including:
- A Padam is a poetic song, typically including:
- Pallavi (refrain)
- Pallavi (stanzas)
- Every Padam bears a Mudra (signature) in the final stanza — often the composer’s name, favorite deity, or place of origin.
Introduction to Annamacharya's Sankeertanas
Types of Sankeertanas
- Themes of devotion, detachment, morality, social values, and spiritual wisdom.
- Express different romantic emotions towards God.
- Composed in Madhura Bhakti — where the devotee sees themselves as the heroine and God as the hero, symbolizing a divine romance between the individual soul and the cosmic soul.
Language and Style
Saint Annamacharya’s imagination was boundless.
His compositions reflect:
- Manipravalam: A poetic style blending multiple languages.
- Folk Forms: Adoption of local musical and poetic forms like:
- Ela, Jajara, Chandamama, Lali, Uyyala, Jola, Suvvi, Kugugu, Alloneredulu, Changubhala, Gobbillu, Jali, Tandana, Shobhanam.
Spiritual Depth
His Sankeertanas encapsulate the essence of:
His compositions reflect:
- The Puranas (Epics)
- Ramayana (Valmiki’s classic Sanskrit epic of Rama and Sita)
- Mahabharata (Vedavyasa’s epic)
- Bhagavatam (Life and miracles of Lord Krishna)