Chokalingam Pillai  belonged to the Isai Velalar community was the doyen of the Pandanallur style and was the son-in-law of the legendary Meenakshisundaram Pillai, an ancestral nattuvanar who descended from the Tanjore quartet.

Chokkalingam Pillai moved from his ancestral home to Chennai and taught this art form to many future illustrious dancers. He worked at Kalakshetra from 1936 to 1943. His leading dancer-student was Mambalam Geetha.. He also trained other leading dancers such as G. Kausalya, Nirmala Ramachandran, Sucharita, Indrani Rehman,

The Pandanallur style has a reputation for its emphasis on linear geometry in adavu technique and for intensity and understatement in abhinaya.

The Pandanallur style is renowned for its masterpieces in choreography: some of the main gems in its repertoire are the Nine or Ten Tanjore Quartet pada-varnams (Sakiye, Sami Ninne, Mogamana, Danike, Adimogam, Yemanthayanara, Yemaguva, Sami Nee Ramanave, Sarasijanaba) for which Minakshisundaram Pillai composed the choreography: both dramatic choreography which he called simply "hands" as well as the adavu choreography for the swara passages.

Subaraya Pillai was born to Chokkalingam pillai and Chengammal in 1914. He is probably the last of this illustrious Lineage.