Annamacharya

Tallapaka Annamacharya (Telugu: తాళ్ళపాక అన్నమాచార్య, romanized: Tāḷḷapāka Annamācārya; 9 May 1408 – 23 February 1503), also popularly known as Annamayya, born in Thallapaka, Rajampeta (now Rajampeta Town) was a Telugu musician, composer, and Hindu saint. He is the earliest known Indian musician to compose songs called saṁkīrtanas. His devotional saṁkīrtanas were in the praise of Lord Venkateswara, a form of Lord Vishnu. Annamayya is said to have composed as many as 32,000 saṁkīrtanas in the praise of Venkateswara, of which only about 14,904 are available today. He wrote the most kīrtanas in the praise of Lord Vishnu of all time. The musical form of the kīrtana songs that he composed, which are still popular among Carnatic music concert artists, have strongly influenced the structure of Carnatic music compositions. His compositions are classified as Adhyatma (spiritual) and Sringara (romantic). 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. He was one of the first few who opposed the social stigma towards the untouchable castes in his era. He is believed to have been the avatar of Nandaka, the sword of Vishnu. He is widely regarded as the Āndhra Pāḍākavita Mahāpita (Telugu: ఆంధ్ర పదకవితాపితమహుడు.), which means the "grandfather of Telugu songwriting."