Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai (1910–1991) was an Indian

Bharatanatyam Bharatanatyam () is a major form of Indian classical dance that originated in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the eight widely recognized Indian classical dance forms, and expresses South Indian religious themes and spiritual ideas, particularly of S ...

dance teacher and choreographer.

Early life

Vazhuvoor Bagyathammal Ramaiah Pillai was born in 1910 to Parthiban and Bagyathammal in Vazhuvoor. He learned the arts of Nattuvangam and Bharatanatyam from his maternal uncle Maanikka Nattuvanar.

Career

He was appreciated for introducing innovative trials in Bharatanatyam. He carried the mantle of traditional and most ancient vazhuvoor bani from his ancestors, dating to the days of the Cholas dynasty. He popularized this bani around the globe. If Rukmani Devi Arundale institutionalized Bharatanatyam, Vazhuvooraar popularized, it especially through his star disciple Kamala. He implemented Rama Natak Kiruti, Tyagaraya Swami Kiruti,

Bharathiyar C. Subramania Bharathi Birth name: C. Subramaniyan, the person's given name: Subramaniyan, father's given name: Chinnaswami. (C. Subramaniyan by the prevalent patronymic initials as prefix naming system in Tamil Nadu and it is Subramaniyan C ...

songs, Kutralak Kuravanji,

Arunachala Kavi Arunachala Kavi ( ta, அருணாசல கவி) (1711–1779) was a Tamil poet and a composer of Carnatic music. He was born in Tillaiyadi in Thanjavur District in Tamil Nadu. The three Tamil composers Arunachala Kavi, Muthu Thandavar a ...

songs, and

Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi Oothukkaadu Venkata Kavi (-1765) or Oottukkaadu Venkata Subbaiar was one of the pioneering composers in Indian classical Carnatic music. He lived in South India in the present-day state of Tamil Nadu. Also known by the name Oothukkaadu Venkatas ...

songs in Baratanatyam through his instructions. During the time that the British had banned Bharathiyar's songs, Vazhuvoor made these songs performed by his students in stage plays, thereby encouraging the support of Indian Independence.

Family

His family members consist of his wife Gnanasoundiram (late); his eldest daughter Jayalakshmi (late); his eldest son Natya Kala Samrat Vazhuvoor Samraj (late), who was a renowned dance master himself; his second son Manoharan (late); his third son Vazhuvoor.R.Gurunathan (late), was a banker/financial advisor; his second daughter Bagyalashmi, who is also equally knowledgeable in classical dance; his last son Manikka Vinayagam, a popular singer in movies.

Notable students

* Lalitha- Padmini- Ragini *

Kumari Kamala Kumari Kamala (born 16 June 1934) is an Indian dancer and actress (also known as Kamala Lakshman). Initially featured as a child dancer, Kamala appeared in almost 100 Tamil, Hindi, Telugu and Kannada films throughout her career. In the 1970s, she ...

* Kumari Rhadha *

Radha Viswanathan Radha Viswanathan (11 December 1934 – 2 January 2018) was an Indian vocalist and classical dancer. She performed extensively with her mother, Bharat Ratna Carnatic vocalist M. S. Subbulakshmi. Early life and career Born on 11 December 1934 ...

Vyjayanthimala Vyjayanthimala (born 13 August 1936) is a former Indian actress, dancer and parliamentarian. She is the recipient of several accolades, including two BFJA Awards and five Filmfare Awards. She made her screen debut at the age of thirteen with ...

E. V. Saroja E. V. Saroja (1935 - 2006) was an Indian actress and dancer. She was born on 3 November 1935 as Engan V. Saroja. She belonged to Engan village of Thiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu. Her debut film was '' En Thangai'' in 1952 starring M. G. Ramacha ...

Rajasulochana Chittajallu Rajeevalochana (15 August 1935 – 5 March 2013), better known as Rajasulochana, was an Indian classical dancer and actress. She has acted in more than 300 Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi language films. Early life She w ...

* Rita * Hemamalini Arni *

Padma Subrahmanyam Padma Subrahmanyam (born 4 February 1943, in Madras), is an Indian classical Bharata Natyam dancer. She is also a research scholar, choreographer, teacher, Indologist and author. She is famous in India as well as abroad; several films and docume ...

* Kanaka Srinivasan *

Chitra Visweswaran Chitra Visweswaran is an Indian Bharata Natyam dancer who runs a dance school, the Chidambaram Academy of Performing Arts, in Chennai. She was awarded the Padma Shri, one of the top civilian honours given by the Government of India, in 1992 ...

M. Bhanumathi M. Bhanumathi (1946 – 4 February 2013) was an Indian actress, who was active in Tamil cinema during the latter 20th Century. She was well known playing negative and supporting roles. She acted in more than 100 films in Tamil, Malayalam and Ka ...

Amala Shankar Amala Shankar (''née'' Nandy, 27 June 1919 – 24 July 2020) was an Indian danseuse. She was the wife of dancer and choreographer Uday Shankar and mother of musician Ananda Shankar and dancer Mamata Shankar (later she became an actress) and ...

Padmini Ramachandran Padmini, Sanskrit for "She who sits on the lotus", a reference to the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, may refer to: People Given name * Rani Padmini (fl. 13th/14th centuries), Rani of the Mewar kingdom * Padmini (actress) (1932–2006), Indian actress and ...

Awards

The following are the awards received by Vazhuvoorar: *

Isai Perarignar Isai Perarignar (Tamil: இசைப் பேரறிஞர்) is an award given to Tamil musicians every year by the Tamil Isai Sangam Isai Mandram is a music association started to promote pure form of ancient Tamil music popularly known as th ...

, 1961; given by Tamil Isai Sangam at Chennai *

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (IPA: Saṅgīta Nāṭaka Akādamī Puraskāra), also known as the Akademi Puraskar, is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi Sangeet Natak Akademi (The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama in Englis ...

, 1966 *

Sangeetha Kalasikhamani Sangeetha Kalasikhamani or Sangita Kalasikhamani (Sanskrit: saṅgītakalāśikhāmaṇi) (sangeetha = music, kala = art, sikhamaṇi = A gem of a diadem or crest) is the title awarded yearly to an expert Carnatic music Carnatic music, kno ...

, 1979 *

Padmasri Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conferred ...

Kalaimamani The Kalaimamani is the highest civilian award in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. These awards are given by the ''Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Nataka Mandram'' (literature, music and theatre), a unit of the Directorate of Art and Culture, Government of ...

* Naatya Kala Kesari

References

Sources

Vazhuvoorar School of Classical Dance & MusicVazhuvoorar Classical Bharathanatya Arts CentreLion's lineageThinakaran Yaazh Pongal FestivalReference about Poet ValiShree Vazhuvoorar Classical Bharathanatya Art's Academy-REGD
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pillai, Vazhuvoor B. Ramaiah 1910 births 1979 deaths Recipients of the Kalaimamani Award Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts Dance teachers Nattuvanars