B. Herambanathan

🪔 About

B. Herambanathan is a highly respected choreographer and dance teacher, recognized as the senior-most exponent of the Thanjavur nattuvanga tradition. He hails from a distinguished lineage of artists; his father was T.G. Bhavu Pillai, a renowned Bharatanatyam teacher, mridangist, and Bhaghavatha Mela drama teacher, while his mother was Jeeva Amma, a dancer. He is also the son-in-law of devadasi Doraikannu, proudly continuing a heritage rooted in the Thanjavur region's devadasi tradition. His family is known as a 'Muttukkaarar' family, specializing in mridangam. Herambanathan received extensive training in various art forms. He studied Bharatanatyam under his father, T.M. Arunachalam Pillai, and K.P. Kittappa Pillai. His mridangam training was under N. Rajam Iyer, and he learned Bhagavatha Mela from Balu Bhagavathar and P.K. Subbaiyer. He began his career as a Bharatanatyam choreographer in 1967, initially accompanying his father's students' arangetrams as a mridangist. His first student, S. Rohini, had her arangetram in 1970. From 1973, he served as a co-choreographer alongside K.P. Kittappa Pillai and his father, and after his father's passing, he choreographed numerous new dance dramas. He undertook overseas tours starting in 1986, training many students and presenting their arangetrams. His notable choreographies include "Kasika Ekadesi," "Subhadra Kalyanam," and "Sakuntalam." He also contributed to the Melattur and Saliyamangalam Bhagavatha Mela programs and was instrumental in the revival of Kaisika Natakam at Thirukurungudi. He became the first dance instructor from the Isai Vellalar community for Bhagavatamela actors in Melattur. In 1989, he established the Thanjavur Bavu Pillai School of Bharatanatyam in Thanjavur, and he also heads the Thanjavur Heritage Arts and Cultural Academy. He authored articles on various aspects of dance and music, including Bharatam and the Thanjavur dance tradition. He passed away in May 2022. His sons, Swaminathan and Hariharan, continue his family's centuries-old tradition. Awards & Honours: Kalaimamani, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2013), Natyakalai Arasu, Nattuva Mamani.