Advertisement!
Author Information Pack
Editorial Board
Submit article
Special Issue
Editor's selection process
Join as Reviewer/Editor
List of Reviewer
Indexing Information
Most popular articles
Purchase Single Articles
Archive
Free Online Access
Current Issue
Recommend this journal to your library
Advertiser
Accepted Articles
Search Articles
Email Alerts
FAQ
Contact Us
Journal of Social Welfare and Management

Volume  6, Issue 3, July - September 2014, Pages 153-157
 

Original Article

Devadasi: An Institutionalized Exploitation of Women

A. N. Gayathri

*Assistant Professor, Dept. of Sociology, FMKMCC (Mangalore University), Madikeri, Karnataka, India.

Choose an option to locate / access this Article:
90 days Access
Check if you have access through your login credentials.        PDF      |
|

Open Access: View PDF

DOI:

Abstract

Devadasi literally means God’s female servant, where according to the ancient Indian practice, young pre-ubertal girls are ‘married off’, ‘given away’ in matrimony to God or Local religious deity of the temple. These girls are not allowed to marry, as they were supposedly married to the temple. She ‘serves’ the priests and inmates of the temple, and the Zamindars  and other men of money and power, in the town and village. The ‘service’ given to these men is considered akin to service of God. The Devadasi is dedicated to the service of the temple Deity for life and there is no escape for her. If she wants to escape, the society will not accept her. It is a practice among lower caste people who worship a female deity called ‘Yellamma’ or ‘Huligamma’.  Fear of diseases, curses, and superstitious beliefs force parents to dedicate their daughters to the goddess.  A Devadasi is not allowed to marry, but is expected to satisfy the lust of any man, for that is her religious duty. Hundreds of young women have been devastated by a system that forces them into prostitution.  The children of  Devadasies have no one whom they can rightfully call their father. Objectives: 1. To know the socio-cultural background of the system and how is effecting on  Devadasies. 2. To highlight the social interaction of Devadasies regulated by sanction. 3. To discuss legislative measures to abolish the problem. Method of Study: The study was undertaken collecting information from secondary sources. Many journals, magazines and research articles have been consulted to prepare the paper.

Keywords: Devadasi-God’s female servant; Puranas: Epics; Dalits: Hindu Lower class of untouchables.  


Corresponding Author : A. N. Gayathri