Muthu Master story: Why this Tamil Nadu widow lived as a man for 37 years, even her daughter didn't know the truth

For nearly four decades, residents of a small village in Tamil Nadu knew him as "Muthu Master", a quiet, hardworking man who wore a white shirt and dhoti, smoked beedis, worked in the fields and lived a simple life near a temple.

People respectfully called him "Annachi", a term often used for an elder brother. Few knew that Muthu Master was actually born as Petchiammal, a woman who chose to live as a man after a tragedy and a frightening encounter changed the course of her life.

Today, looking back on that decision, Muthu says the identity gave her dignity, protection and the strength to raise her daughter on her own.


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A Young Widow Left to Raise a Child Alone

According to a report by TOI, Petchiammal was married to Shiva when she was just 20 years old. However, tragedy struck only 15 days after the wedding when her husband died of a heart attack.

Soon afterwards, she discovered she was pregnant. Faced with the challenge of raising a child alone, she gave birth to a daughter and began working at a charcoal factory in Thoothukudi to support herself and her family.

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Life was difficult, but an incident on her way to work would soon change everything.

The Incident That Changed Her Life Forever

Speaking to TOI, Muthu recalled a frightening encounter that left her deeply shaken.

One evening while walking to the factory, a truck driver allegedly stopped and tried to force her into his vehicle. Although she managed to escape, the experience left her terrified.

That night, while working her shift, she could not stop thinking about what had happened. The next morning, she made a life-changing decision.

She bought a shirt and dhoti, travelled to Tiruchendur, shaved her head and visited the temple one last time as a woman. Then she stepped out dressed as a man.

"That was the end of Petchiammal. I became Muthu," she told TOI.

How 'Muthu Master' Was Born

The surname "Master" came later while working at an eatery in Thoothukudi.

Customers and colleagues began calling her Muthu Master, and the name stayed. Over time, the identity became permanent.

Although Muthu continues to visit the Tiruchendur temple, she does not enter the sanctum.

As she explained to TOI, male devotees are required to remove their shirts before entering, something she avoids.

Even Her Daughter Didn't Know the Truth

After spending several years working as a cook, Muthu moved to Chennai before eventually returning to Thoothukudi district with her young daughter.

The pair settled in Kattunaickkanpatti village, where nobody knew her past.

According to TOI, even her daughter only learned about her mother's true identity when she was around seven years old.

In the village, Muthu worked as a farm labourer and quickly earned a reputation as a hardworking and reliable worker.

People respected her skills and dedication, and few questioned her identity.

Why Living as a Man Felt Safer

For Muthu, adopting a male identity was never about changing who she was. It was about protecting herself and her daughter.

Speaking to TOI, she said men's clothing offered a sense of safety that she did not feel as a woman living alone.

She also adopted another habit to strengthen the disguise, smoking beedis.

According to Muthu, the habit helped reinforce how others perceived her and occasionally helped her avoid unwanted attention.

One incident stayed with her. Returning home late one night, she encountered an intoxicated man. She quickly lit a beedi, and the stranger simply asked for a light and addressed her as "brother" before moving on.

The Hidden Challenges Nobody Saw

While the disguise offered protection, it also brought difficulties. According to TOI, one of the biggest challenges was managing her menstrual cycle without revealing her identity.

She had to be constantly careful and relied on medication to manage discomfort while continuing her physically demanding work. Menopause arrived early, around the age of 40.

Looking back, she told TOI that once she made her choice, she felt she had to accept everything that came with it.

What Her Daughter Says Today

Today, Muthu's daughter, Shanmugasundari, runs a provision store in a nearby village.

Speaking to TOI, she described her mother as exceptionally strong and independent.

She said her mother spent her entire life working hard to provide for her without expecting anything in return.

In a separate interview with The New Indian Express, Shanmugasundari revealed that she initially believed her aunt was her mother and only learned the truth after moving in with Petchiammal as a child.

Even then, she continued calling her "Muthu Master" in public.

Why She Never Returned to Her Original Identity

Even after her daughter grew up, married and became financially secure, Petchiammal never returned to living openly as a woman.

What began as a survival strategy eventually became the life she knew.

According to The New Indian Express, Muthu now wants to continue living this way for the rest of her life because the identity gave her courage during her most vulnerable years.

Inputs from TOI