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Padmasri Vazhuvoor Ramaiyah Pillai with Queen Elizabeth during her first visit to India. He had the honour to make his prime student Kumari Kamala perform for the queen in the grand reception held at Raj bhavan.

He had the honour to make his prime student Kumari Kamala perform for the queen in the grand reception held at Raj bhavan.

It is a remarkable piece of history that your grandfather, the legendary

Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai, presented his star disciple Kumari Kamala (also known as Kamala Lakshman) to perform for Queen Elizabeth II during her first state visit to India in 1961. 

This historic event took place at

Raj Bhavan in Madras (now Chennai) in February 1961. The performance was part of the grand receptions held for the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh during their six-week tour of India. 

Key Historical Details:

  • The Guru-Shishya Bond: Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai was the doyen who established the Vazhuvoor bani (style) of Bharatanatyam, known for its lyrical grace and refined movements. Kumari Kamala was his most famous student and is credited with bringing this style to global prominence.
  • The Royal Connection: Kumari Kamala was a frequent choice for state performances due to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s admiration for her art. Interestingly, she had also performed during the Queen’s coronation festivities in London in 1953.
  • The 1961 Visit: The Queen visited Madras on February 19, 1961. The reception at Raj Bhavan served as a significant cultural showcase where your grandfather’s choreography was presented to the royal guests.
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Published by: VAZHUVOORAR

Vazhuvoor S palaniappan Pillai was born On 15- 6 -1961 .he was the first grand son of padmasri natyakalakesari vazhuvoor B Ramaiah pillai and elder son of kalaimamani natyakalasamarat vazhuvoor Samraj .He learnt music from his maternal grand father Chidambaram S. Gopalakrishan he was the elder brother of the C.S .JAYARAMAN And he also learnt mridangam from Rathanasababapathi and Vinayagaram He learnt dance basics from guru Muthuswamypillai and later continued by his grand father and father.he started learning nattuvangam from the age of 12 and started to help his grand father and father careers at the age of twenties Some of the programmes he accompanied nattuvangam with his father was arangetram.In maurautis for ulagatamaizh manadu in 1990 and many more.he did nattuvangam for his father diciple gopikavarma at trivandrumpalace the swathithirunal festival the year 1989,chicago aurora srinivasaperumal on mahakumbhishekam in the year2003. Andalcharthiam then later in tanjore big temple of brahannatyanjali in 2007 and in thiruvayaar in music college ,karur music college.In 2010 the shree charan made a place world classical tamil meet, and also in the celebrations 1000yrs of the tanjore Brihadeshwara temple etc.

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