Article Details

Devadasi System in Chalavadi Community | Original Article

Geeta S. Atharga*, R. Sunandammath, in Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education | Multidisciplinary Academic Research

ABSTRACT:

The Chalavadis are a sub-sect of the Holayas, Among them, the Devadasi system appears to be the norm. Devadasi means worshipper of God, servant of God, servant of the temple. The Devadasi system of offering females to the temple has an ancient history. In India, there have been instances of this practice from the Vedic period. In Skandapurana, Shiva Purana there are references of Devanarthaki and Ganika. This practice was in existence in Kerala, Assam, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh as well as in Karnataka also. In Andhra, these were called as the Bhogamagalu means the woman for lust. In Kerala, these were called as maharis, in Asam natis, in Maharashtra muralis, in Karnataka as jogatis. This practice was not limited to India but was also practiced in Africa, Syria, Babylonia, Egypt, Greece, Peru, Mexico, Japan and Rome. Worship of the deity was common in all these countries, as a symbol of fertility and there was a belief that the whole flora and fauna will be protected by this practice. The temples were supposed to be the site of the great work of regeneration. It was an agreed ritual to sacrifice these female angels. Offering girls in temples as a symbol of fertility and sacrifice and using them for sexual service was the norm. Thus the prostitution, which was closely associated with the temple, was sanctified. (Prof. R Sunandamma, page no. Mahila Kanunu Parihara, 2017)