Is Devadasi a caste?
Devadasi is sometimes referred to as a caste (varna); however some question the accuracy of this usage. “According to the devadasi themselves there exists a devdasi ‘way of life’ or ‘professional ethic’ (vritti, murai) but not a devadasi jāti (sub-caste).
Do devadasis get married?
The Karnataka Devadasis (Prohibition of Dedication) Act, 1982, for one, makes dedicating girls to a temple illegal and gives Devadasis the legal right to marry. As depicted in the earliest known sources of the Devadasi system, the women selected to marry the deity were highly respected.
Who destroyed Devadasi system?
Sethu Lakshmi Bai
She was vexed to an extent that she commanded on the spot that the system should go” (277). Even though her predecessor had stopped the recruitment of new Devadasis, it was Sethu Lakshmi Bai who abolished the system completely.
What is the practice of Devadasi?
Devadasi system is a religious practice whereby parents marry a daughter to a deity or a temple. The marriage usually occurs before the girl reaches puberty. In recent decades, the practice has been used to push young girls into prostitution.
Are Devadasis Brahmins?
Though they are brahmins by caste, by profession they are brahmins, shudras, Kshatriyas and sometimes vaishyas. They mostly belong to the upper and lower middle class.
What is devadasi system in Kerala?
In Kerala no such families of indigenous origin are found to claim such a tradition but some scholars have held strongly that a large portion of the employment in the temples of Kerala was reserved for women and among these the post of devadasi was most important to which well-born and highly educated ladies.
Who were devadasis Class 7?
Explanation: In South India, a devadasi was a woman who was dedicated to worship and serve a deity or a temple for the rest of her life. The dedication took place in a Pottukattu ceremony that was somewhat similar to a marriage ceremony.
Who stopped devadasi system in Kerala?
The regency was marked by many social reforms in Travancore. In 1925, animal sacrifice was banned in Travancore. In 1926 Sethu Lakshmi Bayi abolished devadasi system.
Who lived in the black towns such as Madras?
Who lived in the ‘Black Towns’ in cities such as Madras? Answer: Merchants, artisans (such as weavers), native traders and craftspersons lived in the ‘Black Towns’.
Why was Thanjavur famous 7?
Thanjavur was famous because it was capital of the Cholas dynasty. Name the river which was flowed near Thanjavur. Answer: Kaveri river flowed near the town Thanjavur.
What does Devadasi stand for?
In parts of southern and eastern India, a devadasi (Sanskrit: देवदासी, lit. ‘female servant of deva (god)’) or jogini is a girl “dedicated” to worship and service of a deity or a temple for the rest of her life.
What is the meaning of Devadasi or Mahari?
Devadasi is a name given to a group of women who danced in the temple premises. The word devadasi or mahari means “those great women who can control natural human impulses, their five senses and can submit themselves completely to God (Vachaspati).”. Mahari means Mahan Nari that is, the woman belonging to God.
Who is the last Devadasi in India?
The last of the Devadasis, Shashimani, died on 19 March 2015, at the age of 92. In the southern Indian state of Karnataka the Devadasi system was practiced for over 10 centuries. Chief among them was the Yellamma cult. There are many stories about the origin of the Yellamma cult.
Is Devdasi a caste?
Devadasi is sometimes referred to as a caste ( varna ); however some question the accuracy of this usage. “According to the devadasi themselves there exists a devdasi ‘way of life’ or ‘professional ethic’ (vritti, murai) but not a devadasi jāti (sub-caste).