CHENNAI, INDIA, 18 August. 2005: Eighty-one-year-old Saidai D. Natarajan belongs to the vanishing tribe of the Oduvars — professional temple singers. He has taught hymns from the Tirumurai to about 500 students in the city. Mr. Natarajan conducts classes in Thevaram and Carnatic music in his house at West Mambalam. But now their number has dwindled and he is trying to keep the tradition alive by teaching youngsters this dying art. Some have migrated abroad and continue to sing from the Thevaram and give concerts in Carnatic music. Mr. Nadarajan is the president of the Oduvar Sangam which he started in 1980 says that Oduvars need to have good memory power as there are no notes for Thevaram. Oduvars also perform at weddings and house blessing functions.
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