Natyacharya — Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai Creative Master in Traditional Mould Part I pril 1945. India was still under was chosen by Kalki R. Krishnamurthi, tobacco. It appeared as though he was A British rule. A dance arangetram Anandhi's father. The music for the song planning to teach hereafter only such of was in progress on Tamil New Year's was composed by S.V. Venkatraman. those students who would bring him day in Mylapore, Madras. Bharatanatyam The song was sung by Tvl.S. Subbu- such wide publicity. Ramiah Pillai, you was then gaining new ground and there lakshmi. The dance was choreographed have certainly earned a name! Smart was a good crowd. by Vazhuvoor Ramiah Pillai, who also you are indeed!" wielded the cymbals. After performing various traditional Rao's observation was most astute. In items, the two girls making the debut If he hadn't already, Ramiah Pillai those days girls belonging to the elite danced to the song Aduvome pallu padu- must have realized that, in a combination families of Madras wanted to learn Bha- vome, a patriotic song by Subrahmania of new dances based on fresh themes and ratanatyam from Ramiah Pillai, or rather Bharati. It was an immediate sensation. Tamil songs and dancers drawn from their mothers wanted them to do so. While the line 'Sangu konde vetri reputable families, he had a foolproof Using this to his advantage, very soon uduvome'—we shall proclaim victory formula for success. What the girls did Ramiah Pillai established himself firmly blowing the conch—was being sung in on this occasion, in a sense, was also to in the art world. Hemamalini, daughter the background, in the raga Mand, the blow the victory conch for their guru of the senior police officer C.K. girls moved to the front of the stage and, Ramiah Pillai. Vijayaraghavan ; Hema. daughter of arching backwards, they portrayed The critics were full of praise for C.A. Ramakrishnan I.C.S. ; Vijaya, through gestures the blowing of the vic- Ramiah Pillai's achievement. One of daughter of Ramakrishnan's brother tory conch. The audience was thrilled them, E. Krishna Iyer, who had toiled C.A. Subramaniam ; Sarala, daughter of beyond words. hard from the mid-20's to save classical T.S. Duraiswamy of the TVS family; dance from being killed and who had Vyjayantimala, daughter of Vasundara The debutantes that evening were Devi—these were some who learnt Anandhi and Radha. The particular song significantly contributed to its revival, wrote : dance from Ramiah Pillai at this time. Ramiah Pillai was born to Parthiban and The cars belonging to their families Bhagyamma on 24 December 1910 in Vazhu- "Their [Anandhi-Radha's] exposition would wait for hours outside his home. voor. He lost his father when he was quite of Bharati's song Aduvome pallu padu- What the satyagrahis of the freedom young and was groomed by his maternal vome in duet was so vivacious and uncle, known as Manicka Nattuvanar, struggle later achieved, Ramiah Pillai with whom he stayed in Mayavaram (now inspiring that it carried the audience off attained without any sacrifice on his part. known as Myladuturai) for some years. He their feet, especially when they showed He rode in cars with a police escort. moved to Madras in 1938, mainly to train the gesture of blowing the conch of vic- The police van would pick him up and actresses to dance in films but he started tory and freedom .... The reason for the also drop him back after his tuition to training Bharatanatyam dancers for the dance theatre also. excellence of the girls' natya is to be Hemamalini Vijayaraghavan. Even if he sought not merely in their innate apti- was late for his classes of his other disci- Two years from now he will be completing tude and talents but in the genius of the 50 years of service as guru, nattuvanar and ples, he would always be on time for her choreographer in Madras where his son Vaz- nattuvanar who trained them. It speaks classes, although she did not—obviously huvoor R. Samraj now presides over the volumes to the credit of Mr. Ramiah Pil- could not—perform the dances he had Vazhuvoorar Classical Bharatanatya Art Cen- lai of Vazhuvoor, the nattuvanar who choreographed using patriotic songs, like tre established by the maestro. has given his best to the girls and com- Aduvome. Ramiah Pillai has travelled all over India bined in them precision in rhythm and conducting recitals of his disciples who variety and artistry in adavu jati patterns Even before these dance aspirants include many who have been prominent in and grace and refinement at every step." became his disciples however, Ramiah the field for many years. Pillai already had a star student in Baby Rasikamani Chidambaranatha Muda- Kamala. In the early 1940's, she was a The Bharathi Sangam recognized Ramiah Pillai's patriotism in choreographing and pre- liar wrote in Kalki: rising star. She had initially learnt Bhara- tanatyam under Muthukumara Pillai and senting on the dance stage such freedom "I am all praise for Natyacharya Vaz- made her debut in 1939 when she was songs of Subrahmania Bharati as Aaduvome huvoor Ramiah Pillai's knack in gauging pallu paduvome, when the poet's work had but six years old. She had also learnt been proscribed by the British. It presented th: children's mentality and potential Kathak from Lacchu Maharaj. She had him with a merit certificate and a silver and in instilling in them, with gentleness shield. danced in the film Ram Rajya. She was and encouragement, the nuances of the a twinkling little star already. And it was Other honours received by Ramiah PHtai art. Ramiah Pillai has introduced a new she who put Ramiah Pillai on the road include the title of "Natya Kala Kesari' (1948) genre in the world of dance. He has cho- to fame and fortune, by becoming his and the Sangeet Natak Akademi's award reographed exquisitely the Bharathiyar disciple and dancing all over India under (1966) and the title of 'Isai Perarignar' con- song Aduvome pallu paduvome, introduc- ferred in 1961 by the Tamil Isai Sangam of his baton. By the mid-40's, the Vazhu- Madras. He also received the President's ing jati-s, adavu-s and abhinaya." voor cult was well-established and award of "Padma Sri'. Editor Srinivasa Rao wrote in Ramiah Pillai had eclipsed many an old- Ramiah Pillai has served on the committees Naradar : time guru in popularity. of both the central Sangeet Natak Akademi "It looks as though [Ramiah Pillai] and the Tamil Nadu Eyal Isai Nataka Man- ram. He was active in the latter even from the has decided to continue canvassing the But it was not as though Ramiah Pillai time it was known as the Sangeeta Nataka elite and win laurels for himself. When I himself brought little to the winning Sangam and for some years served as its Vice saw him at Mylapore the other day, ticket. He brought to bear on his endea- President. He received the title of seated on stage, he seemed to be as full vours as a choreographer and teacher a Kala Sikhamani from it. of happiness as his mouth was with great family heritage, an aptitude and a willingness to undertake research, an ability to adapt and innovate, a deep commitment, great diligence, strict discipline, and a sense of humility mixed with piety. The family heritage apparently goes back several centuries. "The Vazhuvoor tradition has a hoary past," says Ramiah Pillai. We remember reading an article in which there is mention of the exist- ence of copper plates attesting to the Vazhuvoor family's prominence in the dance field. When we ask him about it, he recalls that the late T.N. Ramachan- dran, of the Archaelogical Department, once told him : "You must see the stone inscriptions in the Vazhuvoor temple." The story behind the reported copper plates and stone inscriptions is this. One of Ramiah Pillai's ancestors had taught dance to Princess Kuntavi of the royal family. In appreciation, the king had offered to gift some acres of land to him. At an Anandhi-Rodha recital Even though this gesture was in confor- mity with the practice in those times, the 'malar' of the Tamil Isai Sangam of stone inscription attesting to the tuition guru had respectfully declined the offer, Madras, Professor P. Sambamoorthi had nor the copper plates can be located. fearing that, if he did accept it, his also stated that stone inscriptions relating But, as we talk to Ramiah Pillai about family's progress in the arts field would to this event could be found in the his ancestors, we feel the vibrations of a be affected. He had therefore requested Vazhuvoor temple. great parampara or tradition handed that the royal patron instead gift the land down from one generation to the next. We find later that, although there are to the temple of Gnanasabhesa in Vazhu- some sculptures in the Vazhavoor temple Ramiah Pillai's eyes brighten as he voor. The king had complied. which are said to depict this ancestor talks about it. He who has been sitting Narrating this story in the 1961-62 teaching dance to Kuntavi, neither a hunched and tired all this while, sits up Vazhuvoor: A Deserted kattu-s of the todayamangalam come to of it, the visitor suspects he can still hear mind as the visitor looks around and links the sounds of musk—the tinkling of ankle Village what is seen with what is sung.