Devadasi
Devadasi “Temple Prostitutes”
The word ' 'Devadasi' translates 'servant of the gods' in this case the Goddess Yellamma "Mother of the Universe". The Devadasi are young girls pledged to her service. These underage girls are unaware of the fate that awaits them believing that they have been chosen to serve the Goddess Yellamma but in reality their fate is prostitution.
In actual terms Devadasi translates to “temple prostitute”. These girls are offered strictly from the lower caste families. The daughters of the upper caste families escape this fate.
Sex Trafficking and Devadasi
Unlike sex trafficking were girls are lured with offers of legitimate work abducted and forced into prostitution the Devadasi system is a means of ritualizing the prostitution of underage girls with the full consent of their parents.
In ancient times the Devadasi were objects of veneration. They acquired special status in the kings’ courts as musicians and dancers. Today the remnants of the Devadasi’s cultural origins have all but disappeared. An ancient tradition has been exploited to cater to the greed and pedophilia practices.
It has become a system that turns children into prostitutes and their parents into pimps. The Devadasi system is destroying families and communities generation after generation and with the advent of HIV and Aids the practice has become deadly.
Illegal but Still Being Practiced
According to the Indian government this practice has been outlawed however the practice still continues. The Hindus claim it’s a religious custom and so civil law has given way to religious custom. This creates a very difficult set of circumstance.
During the offering of the full moon civil authorities are present in plain clothes but they make no effort to stop it. Due to the threat of violence they observe but do not interfere. In the recent past these girls would walk naked in the street (quite a distance) from the offering temple to the dedication Temple of Yellamma in Saundatti. This practice has ceased in an effort to draw less attention to the practice.
Devadasi Time Line
Parental Participation
The little girls that are offered as Devadasi to the Goddess Yellamma with full parental consent. Once girls are offered the course of their lives is decided. They can never marry, never have a family life.
Ceremony of Initiation
Little girls who are to become Devadasi are brought to the initiation temple were they are promised to the goddess Yellamma. Following the ceremony they return to their hometown and become Devadasi in waiting. Becoming a Devadasi is believed to bring good fortune to the community, the family and even the girl herself, the pressure to dedicate is immense.
Ceremony of Dedication
When the girls reach their 10th, 11th or 12th year they are presented for dedication at the Yellamma Temple in Saundatti with their parents auctioning their daughters virginity to the highest bidder thus begins their life as a temple prostitute. These girls are used by the married men of the upper caste and their sons with knowledge and consent of their wives and mothers.
Devadasi Life
Devadasi are not normally paid for their services, although some may be if they are pimped or trafficked to a city or highway brothel.
Other Risks
Devadasi face a high risk of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. They are also very vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections including HIV and AIDS.
In the End
In the end simply to survive these women are reduced to begging or road side prostitution at 10-20 rupees per customer around .15-.30 cents.
Prevention and Advocacy
Prevention
The best way to prevent the making of a Devadasi child is by education and enlightenment. This is the mission of so many devoted nuns and priests. Fr. William Borges has land ready and waiting to build a school for these high risk young ladies at his parish in Saundatti which is the hub of the Devadasi system. There are nuns ready to oversee the hostel operations. Your donation will make this possible.
Advocacy
The priest and nuns of the diocese work in concert as advocates for the Devadasi in an effort to bring them out of this system. These women are provide with tuition free education, skill development in tailoring, computers, cosmetology and business entrepreneurship. Those women impacted by HIV are given what we would consider here in the US as basic supplements. See videos below.
The Children of the Devadasi
The children of the Devadasi are given to the care of the nuns. Some of these children are orphans or remitted to the care of the nuns due to their mothers being afflicted with AIDS.
Help Our Cause
Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and improve conditions. Your generous donation will fund our mission.
