In recent times, women have come forward to fulfill the role of the odhuvar, singing the ancient Tamil sacred songs as part of temple worship
by Padma Krishnan, India
As the sun dips below the bustling city of Chennai, two men carefully carry a bookcase to the center stage at the Agatheshwar Siva Temple. Enclosed within are the Thirumuraigal—a twelve-volume collection of sacred hymns composed centuries ago in Tamil by poet-saints praising Lord Siva at various temples. With reverent hands, they clean the case, smear it with three horizontal lines of holy ash, adorn it with a rudraksha mala, and crown it with a gleaming turban. Soon, the wooden bookcase becomes more than an object—it embodies Siva Himself, the Deity praised in song by odhuvars (temple singers).
For the temple’s kumbhabhishekam, its twelve-year reconsecration, the space takes on a festive look, like a joyous family celebration. A stream of odhuvars has gathered. Among them are many women who have traveled from across the state. Their tight-knit bond is visible in their affectionate interactions among themselves.
This universal love lies at the heart of Saivism, lived and proclaimed by women poet-saints like Karaikal Ammaiyar and Auvaiyar, whose footsteps these odhuvars follow. They form a living thread between the Divine and devotees, carrying forward an unbroken oral tradition that stretches back thousands of years.
Who Are the Odhuvars?
The odhuvars are more than musicians. In their collective memory, they safeguard a vast repository of sacred knowledge—wise words strung into thousands of poems composed by saints during the Chola period, from the ninth to the thirteenth century. Each poem tells the story of Tamil Nadu’s sacred landscape—its temples and the saints who once walked their grounds. The composers either performed or experienced miracles at these temples. The songs are often referred to as pann isai, a ten-stanza form common to their repertoire.
The odhuvars have long held an important place in the life of temples, where they sang in front of the sanctum as part of every puja. Rulers and devotees admired and respected them for their prowess in music, language and knowledge of the scriptures. Faith in the curative properties of the songs made them sought-after healers.
Tamil scholar Pavalar Velayudham explains, “The Thirumuraigal saved Saivism and Tamil. Both were endangered by invasion and alien rule. Odhuvars, as custodians of the songs, played a key role in preserving our culture and language. The songs are one of the oldest musical traditions—one which the odhuvars have kept alive. It is a precursor to Carnatic music, and their influence is evident even in contemporary movie compositions.”
The Female Revival
While women odhuvars have been singing in temples for thousands of years, they gained official recognition only in 2006, when the government of Tamil Nadu appointed Smt. Angayarkanni as the first official female odhuvar of the Arulmigu Panchavarnaswamy Temple in Woraiyur. In recent years, increasing numbers of women have been appointed as odhuvars in state-run temples. Following this lead, charitable trusts and patrons have also begun appointing women odhuvars in other temples. For many women who have dedicated their lives to learning the holy texts and offering their voices in seva (volunteer service), this recognition brings greater satisfaction and credibility.
Odhuvari (temple singer) Angayarkanni’s groundbreaking appointment was part of the government’s social inclusion initiative, challenging long-standing gender, class and caste norms. Her entry into sacred singing was serendipitous; as a child, she had aspired to be a policewoman. While she was waiting for the police selection results, she enrolled in the Government Music College. After she completed her training in music and holy texts, she set aside her childhood dream, practiced for years and became an odhuvar.
Following her appointment, she rented a place near the temple to ease the commute from her remote village. The wages were very low. In the wake of her marriage and the birth of a daughter, maintaining a home on her own became financially unsustainable. After enduring hardship for seven years, she resigned and returned to her village, a decision she regrets deeply.
She reflects, “I did not give up easily. After so many years, I had to listen to my family. For my daughter’s sake, I had to go back to my village. I left with a lot of pain. I loved my job. Today, we have more women odhuvars and associations like our alumni groups to ask for help. In those days we did not know how to navigate a career.”
She eventually returned to the same temple after a few years and now works in a different role, but she still sings there, just as she did before. She has been persistently appealing to the authorities to regain her former position as an odhuvar. Her earlier resignation has caused her name to be omitted as the first woman odhuvar from many records.
Women odhuvars face hurdles at every step on their path to the hallowed halls of temples. In some cases, they are the first women in their families to enter the formal workforce. While most of the odhuvars had family support during their training, many faced initial discouragement, as recalled by Odhuvari Shanti Priya. “Many people laughed at me when I started learning music and Thevaram (holy hymns). They did not think I could sing at temples, or that devotional singing could become my vocation.” She feels vindicated now, as more women receive government recognition and support from other institutions.
Music, Family and Sadhana
Devotion to Siva, love for music and a deep reverence for Tamil literature are at the heart of the odhuvars. In the true spirit of bhakti, they seek divine power through their emotionally charged songs. For them, singing is not a mere performance; it is a profound prayer. Most of the women are drawn to a life of sacred singing by their love for music and devotion. Interestingly, many are inspired by other family members, who are devout Saivites and share their love of music.
Odhuvari Shanti Priya, who serves at the Virali Hills’ Murugan temple, climbs 207 steps every day and sings from the Thiruppugahz, hymns praising the presiding Deity. She remarks, “I was always singing. It is like talking to God for me. It is my way of bhakti. I went to music college while pregnant and sang through my two pregnancies. I did not have any guidance about becoming an odhuvar. I did not think devotional singing could become my career.”
She did not sing at any temple for three years while caring for her young children. The Government Music College Alumni Welfare Trust encouraged her to return to temple service after her hiatus. The Arampani Trust appointed her to her current position. She says her arduous climb is rewarded when devotees wait for her to sing after the puja.
Her advice to aspiring women is, “Come with a seva mindset. This is not another musical career. Singing for the Lord is an honor! Just sing and surrender.”
Odhuvari Indira Gandhi, one of the pioneers, reiterates that singing is an act of intimate worship. She says with firm conviction, “When I stand in front of Swami and sing, I see Him. It is like talking to any other person.”
She has been in this sacred service for two decades. In her case, it was her father’s love for music and her brother’s motivation that propelled her into devotional singing. Currently employed through a trust at a restored ancient temple near Trichy, her path was difficult.
She ponders, “I did not know we could reach God through singing for Him. I come from a farming family; no one knew you could study and become a devotional singer. I think it was a call from Siva.”
For Odhuvari Priya, who sings in seva at the Adimoolar shrine within the Nataraja temple in Chidambaram, the songs stir a longing for a land she left behind as a child. A Sri Lankan refugee who came through the dangerous sea route as a three-year-old, she sees Sri Lanka through the Siva temples mentioned in the holy texts. She says nostalgically, “When I sing Sambandar’s songs about the temples there, I get emotional. I want to go there and sing! I will visit Thirukonamalai and Thiruketeeshwaram someday.” She teaches special-needs children and observes, “Their speech has improved a lot over the past year. I hope one day they can sing well. When they listen attentively and ask for a specific song, I am happy.”
She wants to take her students to pilgrimage sites related to the sacred poets, such as Sirkazhi, where Sambandar was born. She feels visiting these places will bring the next generation closer to the great poet-saints of the past and will help them appreciate the legacy they will one day carry forward.
Devotion, Duty and Daily Life
Each of the women odhuvars regards her vocation as a sacred summons from Siva, nurtured by His blessings. Dharani asserts, “Only if He wills can we sing for Him.” Priya regards the song as a mantra in itself: “Songs have to be sung in the prescribed way.” This reverence for the sacred words is echoed by others, and they devoutly follow the strict discipline that accompanies this divine duty.
For women who still play traditional roles at home, being a professional odhuvar is strenuous. Their days typically start by 4am and end by 11pm. They juggle caring for children and elderly family members at home alongside their jobs, which have strict schedules. The odhuvars’ songs are essential to completing the puja rituals, and their presence at specific ceremonies is imperative.
Priya and Indira Gandhi emphasize the need to have family backing. “Our husbands are supportive. Without their help we cannot manage.” They also cite the sacrifices the entire family makes. For many of them, this support is crucial to manage challenges such as travel and long hours during festivals. Performing at distant temples can cause concern for families, so the women often travel in groups to ease those worries.
Despite the modest compensation, they remain steadfast in their calling, valuing above all the opportunity to sing daily before the Deities. It would be difficult for a woman odhuvar to sustain a family with her own earnings alone. In many households their income is a secondary source, and as such they do not demand higher compensation. For some—especially those from historically oppressed communities who were once denied even entry into temple premises—this is a meaningful victory in their larger quest for dignity and social justice.
The challenges faced by women reflect a larger reality for the odhuvar community as a whole—men, too, now struggle to balance devotion with livelihood. Unfortunately, low wages have driven many odhuvar men to pursue other jobs. Across generations, male odhuvars have been the custodians of this heritage, preserving the sacred songs through centuries of social and political upheaval. Today, they face the universal challenge of sustaining an ancient service in a modern economy, though their professional networks still provide them with greater performing opportunities at special events. Traditional family dynamics often support their independent travel and allow them more time and energy for daily practice. However, they face a deeper dilemma when they are the primary earners of the family. In spite of the problems, men continue to hold an influential place in this sphere.
Conclusion: A Tradition Reborn
Drawn from a cross-section of society, these women see a bright future for women odhuvars, as the Tamil Nadu government’s Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, which controls over 36,000 temples across the state, has been proactively appointing more women. The government music colleges in Tamil Nadu play a pivotal role in preserving traditional art forms. They offer comprehensive courses in Thevaram, Thirumuraigal and classical music. These institutions, established in every district, train and nurture talent from rural and underprivileged communities. Following this lead, more charitable trusts are also opening doors for women to serve in temples across the region.
This growing support marks a quiet but significant shift—transforming what was once unpaid seva, offered purely out of devotion, into a recognized and celebrated religious vocation. Their journey, marked by personal sacrifice and unwavering faith, stands as a collective triumph. Each new appointment lights the path for others to follow, encouraging more women to persist, to break barriers and to honor their inner calling.
The final frontier for many women odhuvars still lies within their own families. Becoming an odhuvar is not just a personal choice—it is a sacred commitment that extends to the entire household. Families who share in this commitment are the quiet pillars upholding the rise of female odhuvars.
With the support of nurturing homes and empowering institutions, the melodies of Thevaram will echo in women’s voices through the pillared halls of many more temples. In their songs live the ancestral wisdom, the enduring flame of devotion and the quiet courage to carry it forward into the future.
About The Author
Padma Krishnan is an independent journalist living in India. A certified hatha yoga teacher, she is passionate about exploring commonalities in ancient mystical traditions.