Devadasi in India

This paper will discuss the Varnasrama dharma (caste system) in India and examine the practice of Devadasi in Hinduism. Focus will be on the history of the caste system and the Devadasi practice examining how it grew in India during the ruling of the Chola Empire. Consideration will be giving to the religious side of the practice including how Devadasi became an auspicious part of Hindu culture that grew throughout southern India. The paper will also consider the political side of India and how overtime the practice of Devadasi became less auspicious and was used to exploit women under new ruling, until the abolishment of this practice in the 19th century. There will be a discussion on the different caste groups in India and how economically the Devadasi girls become reliant on this religious practice to survive in India. Looking further at the changes from temple auspiciousness practices to low level prostitution and how the practice of devoting oneself to God became less religious and more corrupt. Finally, concluding with Devadasi in the present day and how the political changes in India have wiped out this particular ritual by enforcing laws against prostitution ,yet investigating poverty and sexual relations in the lower caste areas of India and human rights issues and examining if this practice is still present in India today.

To begin this paper it is only right to give a brief explanation of the history of Hinduism in India and the complexities of the caste system to understand the practice of Devadasi. Hinduism is one of the oldest religions it developed around 2000BC in a village called Harappa near the Indus River. In the time of 1900 BC the Harappan people fled there land and it was invaded by the Aryans. The Aryans a...

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