India today is far from being a land of unity and equality between the sexes. The Devadasi system, also known as religiously sanctioned prostitution, is an ongoing custom that shows the gender-based prejudice in India. This tradition is where women and children are servants to a goddess of fertility only to support their families. These women and children are condemned to a life of prostitution and encounter emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Devadasis are victims of the evident patriarchy through religious and socio-economic pressure. Historically, this tradition was practiced for religious, cultural practices, socioeconomic, and ritualized roles in society (Sathyanarayana). Today, Devadasi expresses male power and dominance. This tradition needs women’s rights that allow them to become independent, where children and women are not forced to do this work and can become economically liberated.
In the early twentieth century, Devadasis performed in temples for the elite classes and often performed for traditional wedding ceremonies since the Goddess governed fertility. Records of this tradition date back to 1113 AD in the Alanahalli Village of Karnataka (Chawla). The Devadasi tradition was honored for its classic form of entertainment. Local lords would often hire Devadasis for their own entertainment as well as show hospitality for their guests (Maria-Costanza). Devadasis were originally seen as high-class women and were entitled to a tax-free land. These women could also choose male partners for themselves (Chawla). The female children would be dedicated for the temple work and would live in a Devdasi household as non-dedicated performers with their mothers, aunts, sisters, and cousins. The male children of these families would usually practice music for the community and could leave the household after marriage (Sathyanarayana). It should be noted that these performances were also seen as provocative, which then lead to men assuming these women were available for sex. It is also important to keep in mind that these men purchasing girls and women are usually from castes considered higher than the girls and women in the social order (Sahariah). The tradition slowly became prostitution.
Currently, the ceremony for initiating children into the system starts around the age of six to nine years old, however, these children become full Devadasis after reaching puberty to avoid unwanted pregnancies (Chawla). In various villages, the services and reasoning for a dedication of the Devadasi change from place to place. Typically, every Devadasi family is required to sacrifice one girl in the family (Maria-Costanza). These ceremonies that take place are in hidden settings which are organized by priests. Even though this act of ritual is illegal, the priest receives a good amount of money to conduct the ceremony service. Immediately after these ceremonies, a man pays to have sex with the girl. Most girls then are excluded from marriage. There are many different variations of this practice depending on the economic, religious and political influences.
Prostitution around the world varies in reasoning for women participating. Specifically focusing on Devadasi in India, various research shows that there is a connected underlying belief system associated with the Mother Goddess cult (Maria-Costanza). The belief is that the Goddess’ presence is in the community and that the Goddess of fertility powers in the lives of her followers (Black). A survey conducted by KIDS, an organization based in Dharwad analyzed the reasoning for girls and women being sacrificed; the research showed that 31% of the girls undertook dedication because they were born into the practice, 50% because of a religious reason such as fear of the Goddesses dislike, and 16% of girls were dedicated because of a financial family problem (Black). This shows the very large impact of religion that plays into the continuity of Devadasi. The second, fairly prevalent reasoning for the dedication was that many of the girls and women participating had an illness or disability, which was seen as a sign from the Goddess singling out the child to dedicate herself to the Goddess (Black). A shortage of sons in the family was also a reason for families dedicating their daughter. A lack of a son means that the family lineage will end. If a girl is dedicated to the goddess and has children, including sons, the birth family name will live on (Black).
Starting of the Nineteenth Century, when Victorian colonialism began in India, multiple social reforms began to form that discouraged Devadasis because of the socio-cultural and religious roles. The Karnataka Legislation of 1982 banned Devadasi and the dedication of children and women (Chawla). Devadasis then lost their socio-religious status in society. The system was changed drastically, but the system continues. In India's rural areas, lack of education, religious belief, and discrimination enable upper-caste men to purchase these women for sexual enjoyment. The powerlessness of these children, women, and families who live in impoverished areas, and the continued support by priests give this act a religious favor for continuing families. In return, the tradition of exploiting children and women continue. The number of Devadasi girls in South India is difficult to obtain because this sex work is now home-based in rural villages of India. These girls and women have a fear of being prosecuted and having legal implications because of admitting to the tradition. In result, it is hard to find consistent research on how many women and children are exposed to this practice of prostitution. However, recent documents estimate that 10,000 young girls are sacrificed every year (Chawla).
There are social reforms trying to help these women and children, but the problem still persists as systematically engraved in societies. Community participation is crucial for the decrease in this deeply embedded tradition in India. Actions such as improving economic status for these girls would help strengthen these women’s roles and resources for these women. Mahila Abhivrudhi Mattu Samrakshana Samsthe (MASS) is a charity that helps 3,600 Devadasis in Karnataka. Itava Jodati, an executive officer of MASS states that banning the practice doesn't mean all of the problems will disappear (Sahariah). “The path of transformation hasn't been easy, as many women have HIV and other health problems but don't have access to good medical facilities and employment, the scare of this age-old practice will take time to heal, and things can improve if our children have better access to mainstream education so they can lead a life of dignity” Jodati says (Sahariah). The lack of education and educational resources in these communities shows the male dominating society in India along with inequality among genders and caste systems. Although poverty was not a cited, prevalent reason for dedication, the socio-economic status of these women and families is clearly very low. Illiteracy is a factor which plays into the families decision making for what is best financially and religiously for their family. These girls and women are members of a misogynistic social caste and being female in a society that only values men in education along with economic freedom. Devadasis tend to receive little to no schooling because of their dedication (Black). Devadasi both encourages the disadvantages of being a woman in society as well as the cycle of poverty in their community. The Karnataka Devadasis (Prohibition of Dedication) Act provided protection, welfare, and rehabilitation for Devadasis. But, there still needs to be more action to help these families involved in the dedication. The lack of primary health care, health education, and counseling services in their impoverished areas results in serious health problems such as AIDs, other reproductive problems, and psychological issues for the children and women. Typically there is just one primary health care center for 8-12 villages (Esar). A recent survey conducted in Karnataka state says that 26% of female sex workers struggle to develop healthy sexual practices, which includes HIV and other STDs (Esar).
The Devadasi system is an extremely in-depth and special case for feminists and human rights advocates. The system has many defending arguments that involve protecting cultural relativism. Some liberal feminist theories say prostitution could be classified as a form of social work, stating that prostitution is as equal as a profession like medicine or teaching (Gupta). There should be rights that protect these girls and women's autonomy and provide agencies. The Devadasi system is an institution for male dominance and power, and it represents the unfair sexual exchange as well as pedophilia women and young girls are sold into. Devadasi serves as a platform for the dominance of male sexuality over female sexuality, the cycle of these girls and women, as well as the lack of own choice in these actions, contribute to India’s inequality of the sexes. These men buying young girls establish a power dynamic where he can control the body of the women. Although in some parts of the world, evidence could support the liberal feminist perspective, for Devadasi, this is not a social work. Girls have no say in being dedicated or not, many women lack the resources and education to leave the tradition. These women are compelled to work within their hereditary profession, lacking choice in terms of a different career path.
There are evident social, economic, and legal consequences to the current Devadasi system. There needs to be an active role in these communities that allow women to become economically liberated. This present version of the tradition is steering far from the historical customs. Girls dedicated to this tradition have no hope in ending the cycle for male dominance in their society. The resources given to these women and families are minuscule. It is important to recognize the meaning of current day Devadasi and the victims of India's male domination.
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