The Social and Cultural Role of the Devadasi System and Challenges Towards Abolition

Abstract

In India, a devadasi is a female artist dedicated to worshipping and serving a deity or a temple for the rest of her life. Devadasi translates as “female slave to god.” Women’s conditions continue to deteriorate under this system. Efforts to abolish the Devadasi System almost always encounter resistance due to strong underlying beliefs about caste and culture, as well as community acceptance of the system. In addition, inadequate rehabilitation (e.g. lack of vocational skills and job opportunities), lack of awareness, and weak enforcement of the laws create further challenges for complete elimination of the system. They are ostracized because of their caste. Hence, inevitably, all of them are either illiterate or have received very little education, with no means for a stable income. The only jobs they can get are those of street cleaners or sewage collectors. Parents are therefore forced to act as pimps for their daughters and dedicate them as Devadasis in the hope of finding a means of survival.
The modern iteration of the devadasi system, while not nearly as pervasive both in terms of influence and sheer numbers as in the past, is one that continues to promote the sexual exploitation of lower caste girls in India. The system is also, especially in its current form, inextricably linked to poverty and tradition. The devadasi system is currently most common in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra, where it is especially common among the “Beriya” and “Nat” communities. They were not permitted to marry human husbands due to their devadasi status.