TIRUMALA: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is giving a major boost to Padakavita Pitamaha Annamacharya through various activities and bringing out Artha Tatparya Sahita Sankeertanas book is a part of it, said TTD EO AV Dharma Reddy. Speaking on the last day of the week-long 614th Annamacharya Jayanthi held at Annamacharya Kalamandiram in Tirupati on Sunday evening after releasing Annamacharya Sankeerthana Lahari Volume 1, the EO said, “Our prime focus is to make the public know about the meaning of every word of the Sankeertanas so that they enjoy the beauty of the song with its complete understanding.”
He said a majority of the Sankeertanas of Annamacharya were dedicated to Venkateswara, Sri Rama Chandra and Anjaneya. “Though there are 4,000 to 4,500 Sankeertanas, we didn’t know their meanings. So we commenced this great work which started in 1922 and became a reality in 2022, almost after 100 years, with the blessings of Lord Venkateswara.” . He added the TTD has decided to bring out all songs in 29 volumes in the next two years.
He thanked all stalwarts who strived to bring out Artha Tatparyam for 512 Sankeertanas in the first volume. “Though the TTD has been doing a lot of activities as a tribute to the saint-poet including organising his Jayanti and Vardhanti fete in a big manner, rendering Annamacharya Sankeertans everyday at Nada Neerajanam and Sahasra Deepalankara Seva, naming a meeting hall after Padakavita Pitamaha and many more, some vested interests were trying to malign the image of the TTD by spreading false news that we have ignored saint poet Annamacharya.”
Later, the EO complimented Grandhi Ramesh, a donor from Visakhapatnam, who came forward to print the book. Annamacharya Project director Dr A Vibhishana Sharma, scholars Dr Samudrala Lakshmanaiah , Dr Syamalananda Prasad, Sri Sarvottama Rao, Sri Varaprasad, and Dr G Balakrishna Prasad were also present.