Sri Tallapaka Annamacharya was a saint poet who made significant contribution to music and literature during the 15th century. He composed songs called sankeertanas in praise of Lord
Venkateshwara, the deity of the Seven Hills in Tirumala.
Annamacharya was born in Tallapaka Village of Andhra Pradesh. He is believed to be the embodiment of Lord Venkateshwara's Nandaka (sword). His songs are classified into Adhyatma and Sringara Sankeertanas. Adhyatma Sankeertanas insist the power of spiritual values in ordinary life. Sringara Sankeertanas express love and wish for the Lord and total surrender to Him. Annamacharya had composed and sung about 32,000 Sankirtanas, 12 Satakas (sets of hundred verses), and Ramayana in the form of Dwipada, Sankeertana Lakshanam (characteristics of sankeertanas), Sringaara Manjari, and Venkatachala Mahatmamyam. His works were mainly in
Telugu and Sanskrit. The sankeertanas were written by him on palm leaves and later they were engraved on copper plates.
In memory of the saint, a Dhyana Mandiram was constructed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) in Tallapaka Village.
