TIRUPATI: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) on Monday relaunched the famed Akhanda Harinama Sankeertana programme, which was stopped for over two years due to the Covid pandemic in the hill town of Tirumala.
As part of the programme, folk artists from several regions come to Tirumala and perform sankeertans of Annamayya, Ramadas, Thyagaraja and other stalwarts in their own style every day on a platform adjacent to the main Kalyana Katta.
TTD EO A.V. Dharma Reddy has commenced the Akhanda Harinama Sankeertana programme by lighting the lamp and performing puja. Speaking to reporters on the occasion, TTD EO said, Akhanda Harinama Sankeertana was launched by TTD in 2007, where folk artists from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and other states take part and present Sankeertans in folklore style.
He said, every day a dozen teams consisting of 15 members per team present Keertans in a folk style that runs round the clock all through the year.
“There are 7,500 odd teams with nearly 1.30 lakh registered artists who will get their turn to perform through a computerised allotment system. Each team performs for two hours in different shifts on a day and every day 12 teams including those from AP, TS and other states will present Sankeertans,” he added.
These artists are provided with accommodation, TA and other facilities. All Projects Program Officer Vijaya Saradhi, CEO SVBC Shanmukh Kumar and others were also present.
