Chinnaiah Pillai

🪔 About

Chinnaiah Pillai (1802-1856) was the eldest of the illustrious Tanjore Quartet, a group of four brothers—Chinnaiah, Ponnaiah, Sivanandam, and Vadivelu—who significantly shaped the modern form of Bharatanatyam and contributed to Carnatic music in the early 19th century. Hailing from a dance lineage associated with the Brihadisvara temple in Thanjavur, India, the brothers received extensive training in both music and dance. They underwent rigorous formal musical education in Carnatic music for seven years under the tutelage of Muthuswami Dikshitar (1775-1835), one of the revered Trinity of Carnatic composers. After becoming proficient in music, they further trained in Bharatanatyam under their grandfather, Gangaimuthu, and father, Subbarayan. The Tanjore Quartet is primarily credited with codifying the Bharatanatyam Margam, the structured performance repertoire that progresses from Alarippu to Tillana, which is still followed today. They formalized the basic dance steps, known as adavus, and composed new music specifically for Bharatanatyam, introducing a sequence of items that highlighted various aspects of dance and music. Chinniah himself was a noted choreographer and a great teacher of dance. He was also known to be one of the few males who performed the dance dressed as a woman and taught men to perform. The brothers served as court musicians and dancers, initially in the Thanjavur royal court under Maratha King Serfoji II, and later moved to the court of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal in Travancore. Chinniah specifically served in the Royal Court of Mysore during the reign of Krishnaraja Wadiyar III, composing many pieces in his honor. His famous Thillana in Kapi Raga and Adi Tala is dedicated to Mysore King Sri Chamarajendra Wadiyar X. Following their debut, the Quartet was praised by their guru Muthuswami Dikshitar, who bestowed upon them the title “Bharata Sreshtar.” They composed numerous varnams and kritis, including a set of nine songs called Navaratna Mala as a tribute to Dikshitar. Awards & Honours: Bharata Sreshtar.