1. Annamacharya is the earliest known Indian musician to compose songs called samkirtanas.
16 Facts About Annamacharya
1. 2.
Annamacharya wrote the highest number of Kirtanas of all time in the praise of Lord Vishnu The musical form of the kirtana songs that he composed, which are still popular among Carnatic music concert artists, have strongly influenced the structure of Carnatic music compositions.
3.
Annamacharya's compositions are classified as Adhyatma and Sringara.
4.
Annamacharya is remembered for his saintly life, as one of the greatest musicians and is honoured as a great devotee of Vishnu by devotees and saintly singers.
5.
Annamacharya was one of the first few who opposed the social stigma towards the untouchable castes in his era.
6.
Annamacharya is believed to have been the avatar of Nandaka, the sword of Vishnu.
7.
Annamacharya is widely regarded as the "Andhra Pada kavita Pitamaha".
8.
Annamacharya lived for 95 years until Phalguna Bahula Dvadashi in the year Dhundhubhi.
9.
Annamacharya is the author of musical treatise called "Samkirthana lakshanamu".
10.
Annamacharya's songs are classified into the Adhyatma and Shringara samkirtanas genres.
11.
Annamacharya was one of the first few who opposed the social stigma towards the untouchable castes in his era, with his samkirtanas explaining that the relationship between God and humans is the same irrespective of the latter's colour, caste and financial status, in his songs "Brahmam Okkate Parahbrahmamokkate" and "e kulajudainanemi evvadainanemi".
12.
Annamacharya was the Asthana Gayaka of the Tirumala temple at Tirupati for two decades.
13.
Annamacharya is regarded as a legend for rendering devotional music in classical style, especially the Annamacharya Sankirtanas.
14.
Annamacharya is the founder of Annamacharya Bhavana Vahini in 1983, which is located in Hyderabad, India.
15.
Annamacharya has been awarded Padmashri by the Government of India, in 2010 in recognition of her efforts to promote Annamayya Compositions.
16.
Garimella Balakrishna Prasad, a Carnatic music exponent and the Asthana Vidwan of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams has set tune to more than six hundred songs written by Annamacharya, gave audio recordings for TTD, published books with musical notations and conducted classes, teaching the songs to make them more popular.