Get the lowdown on the ritual of becoming a Devdasi. The law related to it, Why this abhorrent practice, which tramples upon women's rights survives even today?

New Delhi— Devdasi system is a widely discussed topic in India today. Recently Dainik Bhaskar carried a story on the pathetic plight of the women living as Devdasis. NHRC has taken cognizance of the story and served a notice to six South states along with the Central Government. The six states include Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. The two ministries which have been served notice are the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the Ministry of Social welfare and empowerment.

Who are Devdasis?

Devdasis are the girls who are "offered" to the temple by their parents. These girls are married off to the "God" of the temple, which makes them ineligible for marriage to any other men. After getting married to the god she is kept for the service of the temple.  She is provided with some financial help in return so that she is able to meet her expenses. The ceremony to become a Devdasi involves a priest; who makes physical relations with the girl on the pretext of marrying her to god. This practice continues even today. She is abandoned, in case she is impregnated during the "ceremony"; which makes her life hell. Many devadasis resort to prostitution to eke out a living for themselves and their children.

According to the report by Dainik Bhaskar" As the times passed, many influential people made "Devadasi" out of the girl of their choice, which enables them to make develop physical relations with them. Therefore they forced girls with pulchritude to become Devdasi, so that they are able to exploit her sexually. These devadasis are used as long as they are physically in fine fettle to serve their purpose and are left after they become pregnant, consequently, she is forced to scrounge for "bhiksha".

The Ceremony

The ritual of initiating a girl as Devdasis starts by "offering" the girl to the Temple. In the ceremony, a black blanket is layed out in the Temple. The girl being made  Devdasi is made to sit on this blanket. She is made to wear white saree, green bangles and silver Kangans. Further, baskets made of bamboo, known as padlagi are kept on her four sides. Subsequently, she is asked to get bhiksha from five homes and she is made Devdasi after this lengthy ritual. There is no lower/upper age limit for becoming Devdasi and women are initiated into this ceremony at any stage of their life.

What made the NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION send the notice?

The media coverage and public outcry against the sexual exploitation being done in the name of marriage to a god and hardships being faced in life by the Devadasis has made the NHRC send notices to six Indian states. This centuries-old tradition was declared illegal by Karnataka in 1982 and in 1988 by the Andhra Pradesh government. Despite this, the practice continued in 15 districts of Karnataka and as a result pre-pubscent dalit girls are still being made Devdasis today. Priest sexually exploits these girls. And here starts the tale of destruction of their lives. After becoming Devdasis, the girls fall prey to the lust of the priests. What makes the matter worse is the fact that they are abandoned after they become pregnant. The children born out of Devdasis are not given the name of their father and they themselves are responsible for bringing up their children.

As far as the figures are concerned, According to a 2013 report, the country has 4.5 lakh Devdasis. Whereas, a commission headed by Raghunath Rao reported that states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, alone have around 80 thousand Devdasis. There are reportedly 46 thousand Devdasis in Karnataka. These figures could be higher, as girls in many families are offered as a Devdasi at a very young age.

There has been long-standing activism to ban the tradition, and in the process Supreme Court issued directions to Karnataka government to ban the tradition of making girls as Devdasis. Supreme Court received a letter in 2007 on the persistently deteriorating condition of the children of Devdasis. Following this the Supreme Court issued a notice to Andhra Pradesh government, seeking a reply on what steps has the government taken for the welfare of children of Devdasi?

On the other hand, According to a 2004  report of the National Human Rights Commission -About 45.9% Devdasis resorted to prostitution and the rest are working as labourers and farming to earn their livelihood.

यहाँ हिन्दी में भी पढ़ें– देवता से शादी के नाम पर पुरोहितों के हवस का शिकार बन रहीं देवदासी लड़कियां, जिंदगी बर्बाद कर छोड़ दिया जाता है बेसहारा

Story Translated by Pratikshit Singh