legends of bharathanatyam

• Bharatanatyam

  A classical Indian dance form
• To know about any field in depth, one must learn about great people who have served that field
• Legends of Bharatanatyam

  • Their biography, lifestyle, devotion, work pattern and commitment encourage the upcoming aspirants to a great extent
  • It instils a feeling of courage and confidence in the minds of young aspirants
• Kolara Puttappa

  • A great exponent of Bharatanatyam
  • He learnt Nattuvangam from Vidvan Kolara Kittappa
  • He was an extremely confident and consummate artist of high class
  • He possessed an attractive inner personality which proved of utmost use to his disciple Prof U.S. Krishnan
• Vidvan N. Gundappa

  • A contemporary of Kolara Puttappa
  • He was a disciple of Kolara Kittappa
  • He had training from other teachers of Mysore
  • He was a great dancer in the beginning of his career and later, concentrated more on Nattuvangam and became a very established Nattuvanar
  • He was popularly known as the 'Vichyashashy' of Kolara Kittappa
  • He has composed Jatiswarams, Swarajathis, Jaavai and Shloka extensively and taught a large number of students
• Chokkalingam Pillai


  • An ardent disciple of Pandanalloor Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai
  • He was born in 1896 in Pandanalloor
  • His father was Pakkiriswami Nattuvanar
  • He married Sangamma, the daughter of his Guru and served the field of dance for over 40 years
  • He worked in Kalakshetra of Madras from 1934 to 1943
  • He worked as the principal of Indian Institute of Fine Arts
  • His son was Subbaraya Pillai
  • Among his disciples, Mrinalini Sarabhai, Indrani Rehman, Kousalya Narayan are very renowned
  • He has been honoured with Kendra Sangeeta Nataka Academy award in 1965
• Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai

  • A very famous Nattuvanar
  • His style is known as the Vazhuvoor style of dance
  • He lived in the court of king Sharabhoji-II from 1798 to 1832
  • He belonged to the clan of Nagappa Nattuvanar
  • He received training in Abhinaya from Madhuranatakam, Jagadambal and from Manikkanatuvanar in Nritta
  • His style is known for grace, beautiful poses
  • He had speciality in reciting the syllables of dance
  • His son was Chamaraj, son-in-law was Swamimalai Rajaratnam Pillai and prime disciple was Kamalamma
• Puttadevamma


  • One of the illustrious dancers of the court of Mysore kings
  • She had dedicated all her 85 years of living totally to promote and uplift the art form
  • She was in the court of Tipu Sultan and later migrated to Mysore and served kings of three generations through her Nartya Seva
  • She was a bonafide disciple of Moogooru Amrutappa and she was dear to many artists and art lovers
  • Her daughter Chikkadevamma learnt dance from her mother and also from Jatti Tayamma and became a scholar of dance in the court of Mysore kings