Tirupati, 27 April 2026 – The 618th Jayanthi (birthday) celebrations of saint‑poet Tallapaka Annamacharya, revered as Padakavita Pitamaha (Grandfather of Telugu devotional poetry), will be held in a grand and devotional manner from 2 to 8 May 2026 at his birthplace Tallapaka, the 108‑ft Annamacharya statue in Rajampet, and at Annamacharya Kalamandiram in Tirupati. The TTD Annamacharya Project, which has been promoting his Sankeertanas for decades, has prepared a dense schedule of kirtana‑sessions, Kalyanam‑re‑enactments, literature‑talks, and cultural‑events, inviting devotees and scholars to immerse themselves in the divine‑music‑lore of Annamacharya.
1. Highlights at Tallapaka (birthplace)
At Tallapaka, the spiritual‑core‑of‑the‑festivals, the celebrations begin on Wednesday, 2 May 2026 at 9:00 AM with:
-
Sankeertana Ghoshti Ganam – A grand group‑rendition of Annamacharya Sankeertanas, where multiple vocalists and ensembles lead the devotees in collective‑chanting, creating a powerful‑devotional‑soundscape. This opening‑session is traditionally seen as invoking Annamacharya’s presence through his own compositions.
-
Srivari Kalyanam – From 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM, a Sri Srinivasa (Lord Venkateswara) Kalyanam‑seva is performed, re‑enacting the divine‑marriage‑ceremony of Srirama‑Krishna‑form‑Venkateswara with his consorts, in the presence of Annamacharya’s spirit‑and‑memory. This linking of Kalyanam with Annamacharya‑Jayanthi underlines the poet‑saint’s role as the foremost devotee‑composer for Venkateswara.
Daily cultural programs in the evenings
-
From 2 to 8 May, each day evening‑cultural‑programs will be held from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM in Tallapaka, featuring:
-
Music recitals (vocal and instrumental concerts of Annamacharya‑Sankeertanas).
-
Harikatha (classical religious‑storytelling‑sessions blending narration, song, and moral‑discourse).
-
Classical dance (Vishnuchith‑style, Kuchipudi‑items etc. set to Annamacharya‑keertanas).
-
Drama / Natakam (short plays based on Annamacharya’s life, works, and devotion‑to‑Venkateswara).
-
-
These programs are held near the Dhyana Mandiram / tradition‑areas of Tallapaka, allowing devotees to complete their darshan‑and‑Japa‑routines and then join the evening‑devotional‑milap.
2. Grand Unjal Seva & evening events at Rajampet 108‑ft statue
At the 108‑ft Annamacharya statue in Rajampet, the 618th Jayanthi‑week is marked with:
-
Unjal Seva on 2 May at 6:30 PM – A pendulum‑seating‑seva where an image or vigraham of Annamacharya (or a representative‑icon) is placed on a swing, and Sankeertanas are sung around it in a circular‑manner. This ritual symbolises the devotee‑fluctuating‑between‑samsara‑and‑moksha, rocked by the Lord’s grace, as often expressed in Annamacharya’s verses. The Unjal‑Seva‑music‑circle is open to all devotees who wish to join the kirtan‑session.
-
Daily evening cultural programs from 2 to 8 May – After the opening‑Unjal‑Seva, evening‑music, dance, and Harikatha‑programs continue throughout the week, drawing devotees from Rajampet, neighboring towns, and pilgrims travelling between Tirupati and the interior‑districts.
These events at the mammoth‑statue are designed to link Annamacharya’s physical‑representation with mass‑devotional‑participation, reinforcing the idea that every musical‑note around his image is a direct offering to Venkateswara.
3. Annamacharya Kalamandiram (Tirupati) schedule
In Tirupati, the 618th Jayanthi‑celebrations commence at Annamacharya Kalamandiram on 2 May 2026 with:
-
Sankeertana Ghoshti Ganam at 9:00 AM – Similar to Tallapaka, this opening‑session features a large‑choir‑format of Annamacharya‑Sankeertanas, led by artists associated with the Annamacharya Project and TTD’s cultural‑team. This is followed by more intimate‑music and Harikatha‑programs during the day, creating a continuous‑devotional‑ambience in the Kalamandiram‑complex.
-
Literary‑sessions from 3 to 7 May
-
A series of literary seminars and scholarly‑discourses will be held from 3 to 7 May, exploring:
-
Annamacharya’s poetic‑structure, language, and metrical‑innovation.
-
His theological‑ideas on Sri Vishnu/Venkateswara, Bhakti‑path, and Householder‑devotion.
-
Comparative‑studies of his keertanas with other Alwar‑saints and later‑devotional‑poets.
-
-
These sessions are targeted at students, researchers, poets, and temple‑singers, providing a conceptual‑deep‑dive into Annamacharya’s Padakavita‑legacy.
-
-
Sri Kodandarama Swamy Asthanam & closing‑day‑cultural‑fest on 8 May
-
On 8 May, the Tirupati‑segment concludes with Sri Kodandarama Swamy Asthanam – a composition‑recital‑cycle dedicated to Lord Kodandarama (Rama), often sung in Rama‑temple‑contexts such as Sri Kodandarama Swamy Temple in Tirupati. This links Annamacharya’s Krishna‑and‑Rama‑bhakti‑tradition directly with the devotional‑life of Tirupati.
-
After the Asthanam, final‑day‑cultural‑programs (music, dance, Harikatha) will be performed, serving as a grand‑finale for the Kalamandiram‑series and a spiritual‑culmination for devotees who have attended through the week.
-
-
Daily evening‑sessions at Kalamandiram & Mahati Kalakshetram
-
Throughout 2–8 May, evening‑programs from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM will run at both Annamacharya Kalamandiram and Mahati Kalakshetram, offering a flexible‑choice for devotees:
-
Kalamandiram focuses more on TTD‑sponsored traditional‑music, Harikatha, and project‑artists’‑performances.
-
Mahati Kalakshetram may host independent‑troupes, youth‑groups, and experimental‑interpretations of Annamacharya‑keertanas, widening the artistic‑circuit around the Jayanthi‑week.
-
-
4. Spirit and purpose of these celebrations
-
Annamacharya is revered as Padakavita Pitamaha because he composed over 32,000 keertanas (Carry‑songs) on Lord Venkateswara, many rediscovered decades ago in temple‑sanctum‑stone‑vaults; the Jayanthi‑festivals aim to re‑imprint his Sankeertanas into modern‑congregational‑life.
-
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Annamacharya Project has been systematically publishing, cataloguing, and staging his compositions for over three decades, and the 618th‑Jayanthi‑celebrations are a celebratory‑showcase of this work.
-
By holding events at Tallapaka (birth‑origin), Rajampet‑statue (modern‑public‑icon), and Tirupati (temple‑epicentre), TTD links geography‑with‑devotion‑with‑music, inviting devotees to experience the divine‑essence of Annamacharya’s Sankeertanas in multiple‑sacred‑spaces.
5. Key takeaway bullets (what to do / remember)
-
The 618th Annamacharya Jayanthi is celebrated from 2–8 May 2026 at Tallapaka, Rajampet (108‑ft statue), and Tirupati (Annamacharya Kalamandiram & Mahati Kalakshetram).
-
At Tallapaka, the day starts with Sankeertana Ghoshti Ganam and Srivari Kalyanam, followed by evening‑music‑Harikatha‑dance‑drama programs from 6:30–8:30 PM.
-
At Rajampet, Unjal Seva on 2 May at 6:30 PM and daily evening‑cultural‑programs highlight mass‑devotional‑participation around the 108‑ft Annamacharya statue.
-
At Tirupati, Annamacharya Kalamandiram hosts opening‑Ghoshti Ganam, daily‑evening‑cultural‑sessions, 3–7 May literary‑seminars, and 8 May Sri Kodandarama Asthanam‑plus‑cultural‑finale.
-
TTD invites devotees to attend these events and experience the “divine‑essence” of Annamacharya‑Sankeertanas; live‑status‑and‑program‑details can be checked via your Tirumala‑Live‑Status page and TTD‑Annamacharya‑project announcements before travel. 🔗 https://tirumalainfo.com/tirumala-live-status.php
Follow our Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/tirumalatirupativlogs/ for the latest updates, temple news, and live‑event coverage.
