Thanjavur Bani
The oldest codified school of Bharatanatyam, shaped in the Thanjavur court by the Thanjavur Quartet — Chinnayya, Ponnayya, Sivanandam and Vadivelu — in the early 19th century. Known for its balanced repertoire (the margam format itself), weighty adavus and dignified abhinaya. Hereditary nattuvanars of the Quartet's line, including K. P. Kittappa Pillai, carried it into the modern era.
Members
Chinnaiah Pillai
Nattuvanar · Thanjavur, India
Gangamuthu Nattuvanar
Nattuvanar · Thanjavur, India
Gopala Nattuvanar
Nattuvanar · Mannargudi, India
K. P. K. Chandrasekaran
Nattuvanar · Thanjavur, India
K. P. Kittappa Pillai
Performer, Guru, Teacher, Nattuvanar · Thanjavur, India
K. Ponniah Pillai (Sangita Kalanidhi)
Nattuvanar · Thanjavur, India
Mahadeva Nattuvanar
Nattuvanar · Thanjavur, India
Ponnaiah Pillai
Performer, Teacher · Tanjore (Thanjavur), India
Sivanandam Pillai
Nattuvanar · Thanjavur, India
Subbaraya Nattuvanar
Nattuvanar · Thanjavur, India
T. Balasaraswati
Performer · Chennai, India
Thanjavur Kandappa Pillai
Guru · Madras (Chennai), India
Vadivelu Pillai
Nattuvanar · Thanjavur, India