Arunachalam Pillai: He held aloft the Thanjavur bani

Arunachalam Pillai
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Thanjavur, the seat of culture, has been home to several nattuvanars. Beginning with the illustrious Thanjavur Quartet, who codified the Bharatanatyam repertoire, numerous masters flourished in the land of Brhadeeswara, each one enriching the bani.

When Bharatanatyam gained greater exposure through the proscenium stage many masters shifted from Thanjavur to bigger cities for better prospects. One such nattuvanar was Thanjai Arunachalam Pillai (1922-1980). Arunachalam was the grandson of Bharatanatyam exponent Karaikal Saradambal, who taught for sometime at Kalakshetra. Young Arunachalam was sent to train under Pichayya nattuvanar, who was well-known in Thanjavur. Arunachalam became well-versed in the art of conducting performances, and soon began accompanying dancers, popular among them being Vyjayantimala and Hema Malini. His technique and teaching were endowed with the essence of the Thanjavur bani such as anga suddham, neat basic posture, firm adavu and hasta-pada execution.

Arunachalam shifted to Chennai, and established his own Natya school, where he and his wife Jaya, also a disciple of Pichiah nattuvanar taught many students. Says Uma Maheswari, grand daughter of vidushi T. Mukta, who began learning from Arunachalam Pillai at the age of six, “my arangetram and performances thereafter were conducted by master, while classroom training was handled by Jaya teacher. Even while correcting a student master had a gentle approach and a sense of humour. His nattuvangam had azhuttam and precision.”

Radhika Pillai, who belongs to the renowned Thiruvaalapputtur lineage, recalls her intense training under master and remembers attending classes with Uma and Kumudaa (daughter of percussionist Thanjavur Upendran). “His sonorous rendition of songs such as ‘Murugan endradume’, and ‘Oru kaalai thookki’ still ring in my ears.

Srilata Vinod, who started learning from master at the age of four, remembers his majestic frame, infectious smile and pleasant nature. Arunachalam Pillai trained some renowned names in the field nattuvangam such as Keeranur Govindarajan, well known in New Delhi, and his own son Hemanathan, and Thanjai Herambanathan among others.

Arunachalam’s sons, Natarajan and Chandrasekharan, were sought-after mridangam accompanists at dance performances, while his daughters-in-law Mallika (lecturer in the Department of Dance, Annamalai University) and Subhashini (natuvangam expert) were also associated with the field. A strict disciplinarian, he passed away in 1980 while conducting the arangetram of a student.

His birth centenary is being celebrated with a special event being organised by Srilata Vinod, along with Arunachalam Pillai’s family members and his other students on December 15 (10.30 a.m.) at the Tamil Nadu Music College.