Vazhuvoorar centenary celebrations
Subashini.Pathmanathan
Vazhuvoor tradition is a rare tradition. It is still preserved and
protected by certain families. Training in this tradition is very
expensive. The Vazhuvoor style then as now remains the same and adheres
to the classical traditions. It has not moved to the institutions.
Because it is taught by certain families of Vazhuvoor, and those who
trained in Vazhuvoor tradition continue to maintain the purity of the
same tradition and dance.
However it may help the general public gain some knowledge about the
art. Earlier the Sathir dancers were trained by a particular clan, it
was not institutionalized. Any art, whether it is music or dance, must
be learnt under one particular Guru.
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Vazhuvoor
Ramiahpillai |
Under a Guru one imbibes the art, whilst in an institution one learns
the art. There is a world of difference between imbibing the art, and
learning the art. At present learning dance has become more mechanics
compared to the past.
Vazhuvoor Ramiahpillai was a unique teacher in Vazhuvoor tradition in
the 20th century. He trained his students with dedication and instilled
into them the need to give of their best to Bharatha Natyam. Vazhuvoor
Ramiapillai was born into an Isai Vellalar family, the traditional
breeding ground of dancers and musicians.
Ramiah Pillai was a dance master cast in the traditional mould. He
was born in the village Vazhuvoor, a few miles from Mayapuram. He
trained numerous cinema artistes and numerous cinema actors, who wanted
to get training under him because they wanted to learn appropriate
emotional expression through bhava and rasas. But unfortunately
classical Bharatha Natyam, which has become so mechanical, lacks the
most important essence of Bharatha Natyam such as bhava and rasas.
The temple at Vazhuvoor village is dedicated to lord Shiva, under the
name of Gnanasbeshan and to this day, the students of Vazhuvoor School
pay obeisance to the deity Gnanasabeshan in the form of Thodayamangalam,
a devotional song dedicated to the deity at the beginning of each dance
recital. Vazhuvoor Ramiah Pillai trained numerous dance teachers and
numerous outstanding dancers of today. He also composed a number of
kuravanjies, and was the first one to be introduced to the snake dance,
which was very much popularized by Kamala Lakshmanan, an outstanding
student.
He used mainly Tamil compositions and varnams by Papansasivam, Swathi
Thirunal Maharaja and Mahakavi Subramania Bharathi. Vazhuvoor Ramiah
Pillai himself composed many Sabthams keerthanams, Padams, Varnams and
Thillanas in Tamil and Telegu. He also choreographed dance for numerous
Indian patriotic songs.
Lakshmi Visvanathan, an exceptional writer on Bharatha Natyam says:
"The nirtha aspect of Bharatha Natyam shone in vibrant vitality
throughout Ramiah Pillai's teaching career. He gave equal importance to
abinaya, but his style demanded a certain lilt which was at once dynamic
and graceful. He was the first one to introduce striking poses in
Bharatha Natyam. This sculpture quality became his hallmark and to this
he added facial movements to make his dancers look like elegant
ballerinas."
It is this unique portrayal that lends charm to the Bharatha Natyam
presented by Vazhuvoor Ramiah Pillai's school and makes Vazhuvoor
tradition a unique one. Generally there is a popular belief that there
are four different styles in Bharatha Natyam, among them Vazhuvoor style
gained the world wide reorganization which was Vazhuvoorar's lasting
contribution to this great art.
He was the only traditional Guru who produced numerous outstanding
dancers to the Bharatha Natyam world. Some of his out standing dancers
are Kamla lakshmanan,Dr.Padma Subramnium,Lalitha, Padmini, Rahini
sisters and Vijayanthimala Bali. In Sri Lanka also he produced numerous
outstanding dancers as well as dance teachers. Some of the outstanding
dancers and dance teachers are Smt. Thiripura Sundari Yoganatham, Smt.
Karthika Ganeshar, Srikantham sisters and Malathi Sivakumaran.
I was the most privileged student to learn Bharatha Natyam under him
as his last student. Ramiah Pillai moved to Chennai and took up
residence at Mylapore in 1938. It was a great turning point in the life
of Ramiah Pillai and in the general history of Baratha Natyam. He became
an outstanding choreographer and dance director. He founded Vazhuvoorar
Classical Bharatha Natyam Art centre, at Mylapore. The Vazhuvoorar
Classical Bharatha Natyam Art centre which organize Vazhuvoorar art
festival in Chennai during the December season. In the closing years of
his life he wrote a book 'Thevika Aadal Kalai' on dance.
A style is a work of individual teachers but it has not changed the
basic aspect of dance or any arts. Bharatha Natyam remains Bharatha
Natyam, whatever the styles may be.
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