Odhuvar are men who sing ‘Thevaram’ and other Tamil devotional hymns and songs in Shiva, Ganesha and Muruga temples in South India . They sing the sacred hymns during the main puja period. The word odhuvar comes from the word odhu or othu, meaning to chant. The verses they chant are usually from the Tirumurai, which is a collection of twelve books with hymns praising the glory of Shiva, Parvati, Ganesh and Muruga. It was compiled by Saint Nambiandar. Earlier only men used to perform the role of Odhuvar but now women are also taking up the place of Odhuvar in temples. There is also a three-year Thevaram course at the Government Music School which prepares students interested taking up the position of Odhuvar in temples.

Vishnu Sahasranamam is one of the most popular mantras dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Vishnu Sahasranamam consists of the 1000 names of Lord Vishnu. This is a pdf version of the Vishnu Sahasranamam text in Hindi. Two versions of it are popularly chanted – one found in the Mahabharata and the other in the Padma Purana. This free version of Vishnu Sahasranamam in Hindi text is provided by Gita Press. You can download Vishnu Sahasranamam Pdf here at Gita Press . Why Hindus Should Listen To Vishnu Sahasranamam Daily? Listening to the Vishnu Sahasranamam daily holds significance for Hindus for several reasons: Devotional Practice: For devout Hindus, reciting or listening to the Vishnu Sahasranamam is an act of devotion and worship towards Bhagavad Vishnu, one of the principal deities in Hinduism. It strengthens their spiritual connection and devotion to the divine. Spiritual Benefits: It is believed that reciting or listening to the Vishnu Sahasranamam brings spiritual benefits,

Kamada Ekadashi is observed during the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon) in Chaitra month (March – April). The story of Kamda Ekadasi is mentioned in Varaha Purana during a conversation between Yudhishtira and Lord Krishna. The Ekadashi Vrat Katha was originally narrated by Sage Vasishta to Maharaja Dilip, the great grandfather of Lord Rama. Lord Krishna retells it to Yudhishtira. There once lived a beautiful couple named Lalit and Lalitha. Lalit was a Gandharva and Lalitha was an apsara. They were good singers and dancers and they performed at the court of King Pundarika in Ratnapur. Once, Lalit had to perform at the palace without his wife. The love of the couple was so intense that they could not tolerate a moment’s separation. On the day, Lalit could not perform in his usual self and a courtier informed the king that Lalit was making mistakes in his dance performance as he was not with his wife. The king became extremely angry and cursed Lalit to become a demon fo