Study on the devadasis, female dancers and singers, traditionally attached to temples; with particular reference to Karnataka.

Ancient India has been a land of wisdom, riches and mysteries. Its fabled saints, philosophers, ascetics, its multiplicity of Gods & religions, complex rituals and even snake charmers and magicians never ceased to fascinate the world. Socio-religious tradition of Devadasis or the 'Brides of God' as they were known in India, is one such tradition, shrouded in mystery that attracts attention. It compels a curious mind to take a closer look to learn more and understand its realities. These women are generally referred to by the term devadasi which literally means 'female servant of the deity'. This work bears on many topics such as origin, belief, development, ceremonies, organization, functions, activities, paramours, sexuality, historical survey, statistical analysis, preventive measures and the pathetic stories of devadasis. Because it was conceived as a study of women, culture and religion, it must be borne in mind that all these concerns are dealt with as they arise out of a close attention to the practices of the devadasis.

This is a comprehensive study on Devadasis in a very lucid and interesting style. The subject matter is divided into twelve main chapters- Introduction, Rise of Buddhist Nuns, was Buddha Against women, Glorious Epock of the Buddhist Nuns, Buddhist Nuns in other countries, Original Buddhism and Brahmanical interference, story of untouchability in India, Vajrayani Siddhas, Trantras and Bhakti, Deities of Varayani, Buddhism, what isl the Devadasis system, Devadasis system and Ancient foreign customs, and lastly summary and conclusion. A very interesting study deeply examined and analysed. The sociologists, the social reformers and students of sociology will find the book most referential and informative.

Servants of the Goddess weaves together the heartbreaking, yet paradoxically life-affirming stories of five devadasis—women, in the clutches of an ancient fertility cult, forced to serve the gods. Catherine Rubin Kermorgant sets out attempting to make a documentary film about the lives of present-day devadasis. Through her, we meet and get to know the devadasi women of Kalyana, a remote village in Karnataka. As they grow to trust Kermorgant and welcome her as an honorary sister, we hear their stories in their own words: stories of oppression, discrimination, violence and, most importantly, resilience. Kermorgant becomes a part of these stories and finds herself unwittingly enmeshed in a world of gender and caste bias which extends far beyond Kalyana—all the way to Paris, where the documentary is to be edited and produced. Servants of the Goddess is a testament to women’s strength and spirit, and a remarkably astute analysis of gender and caste relations in today’s rural India.

A vivid portrait of India's underclass and a picture of a society bloodied by decades of unequel social structure and the absence of a civil society and political mechanisms capable of responding to exploitation of the poor and weak.

First published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

'Unfinished Gestures' presents the social and cultural history of courtesans in South India, focusing on their encounters with colonial modernity in the 19th and early 20th centuries.