Date:20/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/20/stories/2008052056130400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Tallapaka wears festive look

Tallapaka (KADAPA DT.): This tiny village abutting Rajampet town has become a beehive of the activity as a festive atmosphere marking the commencement of 600th birth anniversary celebrations of saint poet Annamacharya got going on Monday. Decorated with banana plants and rangoli all along the route from Rajampet to the village, the birth place of the first lyrical poet of Telugu, chants of ‘Govinda Govinda’ reverberated in the air as the devotees started pouring in. Bhajan and kolatam troupes dressed in attires of different colours and sporting green caps supplied by the TTD thronged the venue to participate in the celebrations.

Thousands of cultural artistes from all over the State recited bhajans, played kolatam and took part in the ‘Sankeerthana padayatra’.

Led by two elephants and two horses brought from Tirumala, the utsav vigrahas of Sri Venkateswara Swamy and Alimelu Manga were in the forefront. Artistes dressed as Annamacharya, Sri Venkateswara, Lord Hanuman and Sri Krishnadevaraya delighted the participants and the passers-by.