Odhuvaar Project

Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati revived the Odhuvar tradition in Tamil Nadu. Odhuvars sing hymns in praise of Lord Siva during all kala pujas in traditional Siva temples. It is a part of various upacharas during puja in Siva temples. They were supported by Kings earlier with honorariums which over a period stopped. Pujya Swamiji took initiative in appointing 35 Odhuvars in ancient Siva temples and brought back the Panniru Thirumurai tradition. These are considered as ‘Tamil Marai’, equivalent to Veda.


Sri Hariharan Odhuvar teaches Panniru Thirumurai every Sunday to 2,000 students at Nasiyanur near Erode, Tamil Nadu. Thirumurai Seva Maiyam, New Jersey, USA is a significant contributor to the Oduvar project financially. The fund raising for the project is done with local Indian support at New Jersey, whose services were appreciated by Pujya Swamiji.

When Pujya Swamiji knew that there was no Odhuvar at Thanjavur Big temple and Tiruvarur temple, he decided to take up the Odhuvar project. In Tarasuram temple wall the name of 108 Odhuvars are written. Pujya Swamiji was happy to note that three of them were from Kodavasal temple, which is an adjacent village to Manjakkudi.

Once Oduvars visited Saylorsburg Ashram and rendered traditional Thirumurai before Pujya Swamiji. Pujya Swamiji was ecstatic when he saw the Indian children were quick to learn the same and also reproduced melodiously the same.

Thanks to the vision of Pujya Swamiji, this ancient Odhuvar tradition has been revived.