Beedi-spinning women atop Tenkasi temple tower

A striking sculpture of a woman twisting beedi leaves now adorns the gopuram of the Natham Mariamman temple in Alankulam, Tenkasi, spotlighting an underappreciated rural craft and the women who sustain it through cottage enterprise. The installation forms part of the current temple restoration, which officials say aims to integrate local identity and heritage into the temple's architectural revival.

- HD Bureau TENKASI

The figure, positioned prominently on the temple's tower, portrays a woman bent in the act of beedi leaf spinning, a gesture steeped in dignity and resilience.

Temple trustees say the artwork was commissioned in dialogue with local women workers, many of whom have depended on beedi leaf spinning to support households after losing their spouses. The sculpture thus intends to celebrate perseverance and economic contribution.