Connecting humans through music

Tallapaka Annamacharya

Tallapaka Annamacharya (also popularly known as Annamayya) (22 May 1408 – 4 April 1503) was a 15th-century Hindu saint and the earliest known Indian musician to compose songs called sankirtanas in praise of the god Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu. He is the first known composer in carnatic music. The most famous composers of Carnatic music like Purandara Dasa, Kanaka Dasa also came after him. The musical form of the keertana songs that he composed, which are still popular among Carnatic music concert artists, have strongly influenced the structure of Carnatic music compositions. Annamacharya is remembered for his saintly life, and is honoured as a great devotee of Vishnu by devotees and saintly singers. He is believed to have been the creator avatar of Nandaka, the sword of Vishnu. He is widely regarded as the Andhra Pada Kavitā Pitāmaha (Grandfather of Telugu song-writing). Tallapaka Annamacharya was born on Vaishakha Shuddha Pournami in the year Sarwadhari (22 May 1408) in Tallapaka, Near Rajampet Mandal, a village in present-day Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh, India. Even though his parents belonged to the Nandavarika Brahmin community of Smarta tradition, he took initiation into Vaishnavism and became a Vaishnava in the Vedanta Desika Sampradaya. His wife, Timmakka, had written Subhadra Kalyanam, and is considered the first female poet in Telugu literature. Their son, Pedda Tirumalacharya, and grandson, Tallapaka Chinnayya, were also composers and poets. The Tallapaka compositions are considered to have dominated and influenced the structure of Carnatic music compositions. Annamacharya lived for 95 years until Phalguna Bahula (Krishna) Dvadasi (12th day after full moon) in the year Dhundhubhi (4 April 1503). Annamayya is said to have composed as many as 32,000 sankeertanas (songs) on the god Venkateswara of which only about 12,000 are available today. He is also the author of musical treatise called "Sankeerthana Lakshanamu". Compositions : This is a partial list of some of the most famous Tallapaka Annamacharya compositions. Adivō Alladivō Śriharivāsamu Alara Cañcalamaina Ātmalanduṇḍa Alarulu Kuriayaga Āḍinadē Anni mantramulu nindē yāvahiñcenu Antaryāmi Alaśiti Solaśiti Bhāvayāmi Gōpālabālaṁ Manassēvitaṁ Bhāvamulōna Bāhyamunandunu Brahma Kaḍigina Pādamu Cakkani Talliki Chāngu Bhaḷā Cāladā Harināma Saukhyāmr̥tamu Cēri Yaśōdaku Śiśuvitaḍu Candamāma Rāve Jābilli Rāve Dēvadēvaṁ Bhajē Divya Prabhāvaṁ ḍōlāyāṁ Cālā ḍōlāyāṁ ēmokō ciguruṭadharamuna eḍaneḍakastūri niṃḍenu ē Purāṇamuna Eṁta Vedakinā GovindāŚrita Gōkula Br̥ndā Harināmame Kaḍu Ānandakaramu Indariki Abhayammuliccu Cēyi Ippuḍiṭu Kalagaṃṭi Itarulaku Ninneruga Taramā Jō Acyutānanda Jō Jō Mukundā Kanṭi Śukravāramu Gaḍiyalēḍiṁṭa Koṁḍalalō Nelakonna Kōnēṭi Rāyaḍu Vāḍu kṣīrābdi kanyakaku Śrī Mahālakṣmikini Kulukaka Naḍavārō Kommalārā Madhava Kesava Madhusoodhana Mēdini Jīvula Gāva Mēlukōvayyā Muddugārē Yaśōda Muṅgiṭa Mutayamu vīḍu Mūsina Mutyālakēlē Moragulu Nallani Mēni Nagavu Chūpulavāḍu Nānāṭi Batuku Nāṭakamu Nārāyaṇa Tē Namō Namō Neyyamullallō Nērēḷḷo Voyyana ūreḍi Uvviḷḷo Nitya Pūjalivivō Nericinānōhō Paluku Tēnelatalli Pavaḷincenu Poḍaganṭimayya mimmu Puruṣōttamā Śriman Narāyaṇā Śriman Narāyaṇā Nī Śri Pādamē Śaraṇu Rajīva Nētrāya Raghavāya Namō Ramacandruḍitaḍu Raghuvīruḍu Siruta Navvulavāḍu Sinnakka Ṣōḍaśa Kaḷānidhiki Ṣoḍaśōpacāramulu Brahmam Okate Tvamēva Śaraṇam Vandēhaṁ Jagadvallabhaṁ Vandē Vāsudēvaṁ Śrīpatiṁ Vēḍukoṁdāmā Vēṅkaṭagiri Veṅkaṭeśvaruni Veḍukoṁdāmā Vinnapālu Vinavale Viṁtaviṁtalu

carnatic