Date:08/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2008/08/08/stories/2008080851010300.htm

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For Annamayya

Musicians at Annamacharya’s 600th anniversary fest.

The Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam celebrated the 600th birth anniversary of Thallapakkam Annamacharya recently in a grand manner on his birth star Visakam. Over 700 musicians rendered devotional songs together and paid their respect.

The Annamachariar Project Director Medasani Mohan had selected Srirangam N. Padma and her students to continue this programme at Srirangam to popularise Annamacharya’s Sankirtanam. The week-long programme was held on different days during the month of June and July on East Chitra Street, Srirangam.

Vivid delineation

Srirangam Padma and her students rendered many songs accompanied by G. Shenbagam on the veena, C. S. Sri Krishna on the mridangam and C. S. Sri Govindhan on the ghatam. Each song rendered on the occasion was explained in detail.

Embar Raghava Simhan and Srivilliputhur R. Kannan Swami were the chief guests. In one of the Sankirtanam ‘Brahma Poojin Che’ Sriman Annamacharyar had said that the copper plates at the Srirangam Temple Museum depict the history of Lord Ranganatha.

The Sankirtanam further added that Lord Venkateswara who grants boon to His devotees is none other than Lord Ranganatha.

SYED MUTHAHAR SAQAF