Hindu Narrative

[Hauma Hamiddha]

In all traditions typically the gAyatrI japa during saMdhya (done by all Aryas) is silently performed. The sAvitrI (gAyatrI of savitA) is silently recited during veda pArAyaNaM or svAdhyAya. However, in several rituals its recited aloud often accompanied by water or fire offerings. The original gR^ihya/shrauta traditions predate north-south split etc. Mudy must be refering the custom of Arya Samaj founded Dayanand Sarasvati and his successors. Some smR^itis say that saMskAras are performed for women. Some specifically say that during the saMskAras for women the mantras are inaudibly deployed. This is not common practice in modern India.
As per the tantra-s women and 4th varNas might receive a tAntric dIkSha of upanayana which makes them eligible perform the rites prescribed in those texts. We have statues and vIrakal-s in south India where there are women shown wearing the upavIta- so at some point this happened in the south. One of these statues is of a great tantric female guru seen in Karnataka not far from where I was born.

-->By the time I hit submit many posts seem to have passed by from AK and B that have already clarified the matter.