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Women of Pride - The Devadasi Heritage
Devadasi, raja dasi or kutcheri desi - devadasis have acquired a variety of definitions and roles over the years. Women of Pride studies, in depth, the devadasi tradition and its transformation into a living cultural phenomenon in the context of Hindu tradition. The book brings into focus the activities and identities of the devadasis and examines the functions and forms of the devadasi tradition. The changing face of the tradition has been authenticated and given a voice by the author by featuring some of the most prominent devadasis of our times. The book also examines the devadasi reform movement in a political, religious, and social context.
- GenresHistoryNonfictionIndia
Unknown Binding
First published December 31, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 20, 2021
A must read if you want to have insights into ancient Bharata especially Tamil Nadu, social values & finess, role of devadasi, their personality and their downfall. The more you read, the more you realize that it was a progressive society which regressive cultures invaded.
Devadasi System in India can be traced back to 7th century. The word literally means God's servant. These women were among those few independent women in the society who married to a Deity. Apart from that they were trained in the arts of sculptures, music, and composition. Not only this, a devadasi was equally learned in Sanskrit and the other Vedic scriptures. These women willfully used to do all the rituals for their god husband and believed no mortal husband can content a women like the bhakti of Immortal can. They were respected in the society and treated as high class people for their service. From weddings to births or even other royal court functions, all required a devadasi's auspicious presence and blessing. And in exchange for her services, they were usually given land, title and in this way many devadasis even became wealthy landholders.
However in Colonial India, the British took control of Temples. Temple administration started to lose power. To destroy Indian culture they started calling the kids of Devadasis to be illegitimate, they started holding women mainly from so called lower caste in Brothels to satisfy their army's lust. They even brought Nautch bill. Devadasi system's rich culture succumbed to this. Hence, Devadasis as a practice were then considered to be a social evil and every devadasi was branded to be a prostitute.
Atrocity literature generated under Britishers and left historians molded under Macaulay's education system demeaned all native traditions and cultural practice like Gurukulam, Ayurveda etc. Devadasi were reduced to prostitute. The devadasis would perform their Natya in front of Bhagawan as part of ritual. This was going on even till the 1940s. Everything stopped when anti nautch bill passed and dancing was stopped. In fact even Vadyam (music played behind) was stopped, they have been allowed again. This book broke so many misconception of mine.
To get a true picture of the Devadasi community and their exalted and dignified role in Indian polytheist culture, read this book.
Devadasi System in India can be traced back to 7th century. The word literally means God's servant. These women were among those few independent women in the society who married to a Deity. Apart from that they were trained in the arts of sculptures, music, and composition. Not only this, a devadasi was equally learned in Sanskrit and the other Vedic scriptures. These women willfully used to do all the rituals for their god husband and believed no mortal husband can content a women like the bhakti of Immortal can. They were respected in the society and treated as high class people for their service. From weddings to births or even other royal court functions, all required a devadasi's auspicious presence and blessing. And in exchange for her services, they were usually given land, title and in this way many devadasis even became wealthy landholders.
However in Colonial India, the British took control of Temples. Temple administration started to lose power. To destroy Indian culture they started calling the kids of Devadasis to be illegitimate, they started holding women mainly from so called lower caste in Brothels to satisfy their army's lust. They even brought Nautch bill. Devadasi system's rich culture succumbed to this. Hence, Devadasis as a practice were then considered to be a social evil and every devadasi was branded to be a prostitute.
Atrocity literature generated under Britishers and left historians molded under Macaulay's education system demeaned all native traditions and cultural practice like Gurukulam, Ayurveda etc. Devadasi were reduced to prostitute. The devadasis would perform their Natya in front of Bhagawan as part of ritual. This was going on even till the 1940s. Everything stopped when anti nautch bill passed and dancing was stopped. In fact even Vadyam (music played behind) was stopped, they have been allowed again. This book broke so many misconception of mine.
To get a true picture of the Devadasi community and their exalted and dignified role in Indian polytheist culture, read this book.
May 28, 2022
This is just… I don’t know… 😣😞 the more I read about devadasis, the more heartbroken, disappointed, and angrier I am, about the narrative and propaganda around the Devadasi tradition.
The person I am disappointed with most, is myself. How could I let myself fall for such a false narrative. How could I say I was striving for social justice and equality and equity, when my actions were against the very values that I said I was trying to embody and stand for. How could I vilify traditions without understanding them. How could I believe people just based on what they said they were fighting for and were standing for, without finding out for myself whether what they said/believe is true and is what they say it is.
I was associated with the current day devadasis (of certain regions) for some time as part of my work. What I came across then, and simultaneously certain political and social stances taken by my innermost circle of friends and colleagues shook me to an extent, that I wanted to understand or atleast listen to the other sides, especially the Indic side. And so, here I am. This is the 2nd of the 6 books that I read/plan to read to understand the devadasi tradition.
Devadasis were more of sanyasinis than anything else. Their downfall started with the advent of the Islamic invasions and colonialism later on.
The later-age devadasis did agree that ‘a certain degree of decadence did creep into their lifestyle’, what they needed and what they ‘begged for was greater education and training, especially in the fine arts, so that they could again make waves with their talent in music and dance’.
Instead, a law was passed ‘that killed the Devadasi system but never finished off prostitution’.
Their birthright of music and dance was cut off from them and made illegal. Their lands were taken back. They and the life they knew and were living became immoral. Their bhakti, devotion, knowledge, was ridiculed and spat upon by the Victorian morality and their fellow ‘missionary/convent educated’ Indians.
Another important takeaway for me from this book - that back then, the linguistic and regionalistic boundaries weren’t very rigid, that they were quite porous.
I mean, the devadasi tradition regained its lost glory (post the Islamic invasions) under the patronage of Vijayanagara and Maratha rulers. These kings composed poetry and other forms of literature in Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, Sanskrit, and patronised arts in and of various languages irrespective of what their own mother tongue was.
The Tanjavore quartet that is credited with the modern form of Bharatanatyam, are Telugus. Thyagaraja, Kshetrayya are Telugus. The famous dasa composition ‘Krishna nee begane baro’ is a Kannada composition. Tanjavore is in current day Tamilnadu, the land of Tamil. Devadasis irrespective of what their mother tongue was, were fluent in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Sanskrit. Back then, in the Chennai of independent India, Tamil and Telugu patrons of Devadasis, extended their support irrespective of what the mother tongue of Devadasi was, and irrespective of whether they understood the Telugu and other language padams and keertanas that the Devadasis danced to and sang.
It’s sad that in the current times, there are linguistic movements to ascertain the supremacy of a(ny) language. Imagine if something like this existed back then, would we have had such a rich legacy of arts and crafts? Would all those stalwarts and geniuses have come together to create such beauty, to give shape to their bhakti in such myriad forms and in such a spellbound manner?
Carnatic music, Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam, Yakshagana, Andhra Natyam, etc., belong to all of us irrespective of what our mother tongue is and where we are from.
We were and are truly people of one land. Our bhakti, our music, our dance, our traditions, our knowledge - connected and connect us, more than what our differences could and can ever divide us.
For folks wanting to know about devadasi tradition, I definitely recommend this book along with ‘Balasaraswati - Her Art and Life’. I will add on to this list later based on my further readings 🙏🏾
The person I am disappointed with most, is myself. How could I let myself fall for such a false narrative. How could I say I was striving for social justice and equality and equity, when my actions were against the very values that I said I was trying to embody and stand for. How could I vilify traditions without understanding them. How could I believe people just based on what they said they were fighting for and were standing for, without finding out for myself whether what they said/believe is true and is what they say it is.
I was associated with the current day devadasis (of certain regions) for some time as part of my work. What I came across then, and simultaneously certain political and social stances taken by my innermost circle of friends and colleagues shook me to an extent, that I wanted to understand or atleast listen to the other sides, especially the Indic side. And so, here I am. This is the 2nd of the 6 books that I read/plan to read to understand the devadasi tradition.
Devadasis were more of sanyasinis than anything else. Their downfall started with the advent of the Islamic invasions and colonialism later on.
The later-age devadasis did agree that ‘a certain degree of decadence did creep into their lifestyle’, what they needed and what they ‘begged for was greater education and training, especially in the fine arts, so that they could again make waves with their talent in music and dance’.
Instead, a law was passed ‘that killed the Devadasi system but never finished off prostitution’.
Their birthright of music and dance was cut off from them and made illegal. Their lands were taken back. They and the life they knew and were living became immoral. Their bhakti, devotion, knowledge, was ridiculed and spat upon by the Victorian morality and their fellow ‘missionary/convent educated’ Indians.
Another important takeaway for me from this book - that back then, the linguistic and regionalistic boundaries weren’t very rigid, that they were quite porous.
I mean, the devadasi tradition regained its lost glory (post the Islamic invasions) under the patronage of Vijayanagara and Maratha rulers. These kings composed poetry and other forms of literature in Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, Sanskrit, and patronised arts in and of various languages irrespective of what their own mother tongue was.
The Tanjavore quartet that is credited with the modern form of Bharatanatyam, are Telugus. Thyagaraja, Kshetrayya are Telugus. The famous dasa composition ‘Krishna nee begane baro’ is a Kannada composition. Tanjavore is in current day Tamilnadu, the land of Tamil. Devadasis irrespective of what their mother tongue was, were fluent in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Sanskrit. Back then, in the Chennai of independent India, Tamil and Telugu patrons of Devadasis, extended their support irrespective of what the mother tongue of Devadasi was, and irrespective of whether they understood the Telugu and other language padams and keertanas that the Devadasis danced to and sang.
It’s sad that in the current times, there are linguistic movements to ascertain the supremacy of a(ny) language. Imagine if something like this existed back then, would we have had such a rich legacy of arts and crafts? Would all those stalwarts and geniuses have come together to create such beauty, to give shape to their bhakti in such myriad forms and in such a spellbound manner?
Carnatic music, Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam, Yakshagana, Andhra Natyam, etc., belong to all of us irrespective of what our mother tongue is and where we are from.
We were and are truly people of one land. Our bhakti, our music, our dance, our traditions, our knowledge - connected and connect us, more than what our differences could and can ever divide us.
For folks wanting to know about devadasi tradition, I definitely recommend this book along with ‘Balasaraswati - Her Art and Life’. I will add on to this list later based on my further readings 🙏🏾
August 14, 2021
If you ever want to know what it means to be a independent woman(not the social media independent woman), Devdasi are the great source to research.
Masters of Sensuality and Sensibility , Who had highly refined skill in dance and music by linking poetry, movement, devotion and spirituality in one place.
Maybe modern moralistic society may call them as threat to moral society, But this book made me realise they preserved everything about south indian music and dance. Without them, Beauty of culture will be lost in all struggle indian has been through.
"Woman who neither belonged to any man nor society, Their devotion in only to supreme truth are Devdasis. "
I am gonna re-read this book again. Must read!!
Masters of Sensuality and Sensibility , Who had highly refined skill in dance and music by linking poetry, movement, devotion and spirituality in one place.
Maybe modern moralistic society may call them as threat to moral society, But this book made me realise they preserved everything about south indian music and dance. Without them, Beauty of culture will be lost in all struggle indian has been through.
"Woman who neither belonged to any man nor society, Their devotion in only to supreme truth are Devdasis. "
I am gonna re-read this book again. Must read!!
May 8, 2022
The first time I heard the word Devadasi was about 22 years ago, when as part of my job, I was assigned to accompany a few people visiting the Devadasi rehabilitation program by an NGO in Saundathi in Belgaum. The town is known for its historic Yellamma temple, also known as Renuka temple, where girls are dedicated to Goddess Yellamma in an elaborate ceremony once a year, and become Devadasis, also called Jogatis. What I learned about the Devadasis in this visit was from the NGO reps, and they painted a picture of abject poverty, prostitution, exploitation, and disease. Unfortunately, what I remember most is their matted hair, which was the first thing the NGO helped get rid of when they convinced a Devadasi to get out of that system.
I had visited the Yellamma temple, and the homes of several ex, as well as practicing devadasis, in remote villages in that district. The poverty cannot be denied, and for a long time now that is what has been driving the parents to dedicate their young daughters to the Goddess. When the girls attain puberty, they are immediately claimed by men who pay small amounts of money, which enables the parents to eke out a living. Many many of them eventually make their way to cities like Bombay and become one among the thousands in the red-light district. Basically, it has turned into a religion-sanctioned prostitution racket.
That visit stayed with me for a very long time. I was intrigued by the Devadasis, their history, and their lives, and wanted to know more, but life took over. When I saw a review of ‘Women of Pride’, I had to pick it up.
What I found was that the Devadasi tradition of Saundathi was nowhere close to what was depicted in this book. But it was a fascinating read, nevertheless. Where did the term Devadasi come from, what does it mean, who were these women, what did they do? There are so many myths debunked in this book. The Devadasi heritage is one of empowerment, not exploitation. The women were married to the Deity, and played important roles in temples, as well as in kings’ courts. They were educated, cultured, independent, powerful, and held in a high regard in society. How progressive the society was then!
The book not only traces the history of the Devadasis but elaborates on what caused their downfall too. When the British came, they brought with them colonial prejudices and prudishness, and began taking control of temples. Undermining and ultimately destroying Indian culture in order to divide and rule became their utmost priority. The Devadasis were branded with the label of immorality, their children were labelled illegitimate, their assets including the lands that were given to their ancestors by kings were seized and they were left to languish in poverty. In the end, because of their various laws, the Devadasi system came to be regarded as a social evil that needed to be abolished from society.
The stories of all the famous Devadasis mentioned in the book gives us a glimpse of our rich culture and heritage. It tells us how Bharatanatyam as a classical dance form evolved over centuries and came to be what it is today.
This book was an eye-opener of sorts for me, but has left me slightly unsatisfied too. I now want to read more on the subject, especially the Devadasi culture of Saundathi. Any recommendations are welcome!
I had visited the Yellamma temple, and the homes of several ex, as well as practicing devadasis, in remote villages in that district. The poverty cannot be denied, and for a long time now that is what has been driving the parents to dedicate their young daughters to the Goddess. When the girls attain puberty, they are immediately claimed by men who pay small amounts of money, which enables the parents to eke out a living. Many many of them eventually make their way to cities like Bombay and become one among the thousands in the red-light district. Basically, it has turned into a religion-sanctioned prostitution racket.
That visit stayed with me for a very long time. I was intrigued by the Devadasis, their history, and their lives, and wanted to know more, but life took over. When I saw a review of ‘Women of Pride’, I had to pick it up.
What I found was that the Devadasi tradition of Saundathi was nowhere close to what was depicted in this book. But it was a fascinating read, nevertheless. Where did the term Devadasi come from, what does it mean, who were these women, what did they do? There are so many myths debunked in this book. The Devadasi heritage is one of empowerment, not exploitation. The women were married to the Deity, and played important roles in temples, as well as in kings’ courts. They were educated, cultured, independent, powerful, and held in a high regard in society. How progressive the society was then!
The book not only traces the history of the Devadasis but elaborates on what caused their downfall too. When the British came, they brought with them colonial prejudices and prudishness, and began taking control of temples. Undermining and ultimately destroying Indian culture in order to divide and rule became their utmost priority. The Devadasis were branded with the label of immorality, their children were labelled illegitimate, their assets including the lands that were given to their ancestors by kings were seized and they were left to languish in poverty. In the end, because of their various laws, the Devadasi system came to be regarded as a social evil that needed to be abolished from society.
The stories of all the famous Devadasis mentioned in the book gives us a glimpse of our rich culture and heritage. It tells us how Bharatanatyam as a classical dance form evolved over centuries and came to be what it is today.
This book was an eye-opener of sorts for me, but has left me slightly unsatisfied too. I now want to read more on the subject, especially the Devadasi culture of Saundathi. Any recommendations are welcome!
February 7, 2020
Its a good book if you want to understand Devadasi.
November 18, 2019
I picked up this book out of curiosity about the devadasis. It has been an enlightening read and broke many misconceptions I had about this group of highly learned and talented women. It's sad that we have let these traditions die, and with it, diluted the cultural fabric of India.
January 22, 2023
Brilliant book on Devadasi. Thanks to Lakshmi Vishwanathan for writing on it.
April 15, 2016
History, culture, spirituality, a dying art
October 8, 2022
Very interesting read. It makes you realise how diverse and different our culture was few centuries ago. And how it has been hampered.
September 11, 2025
The devadasi was cultivated in dance, music, and the kalas (arts), bridging elite temple and courtly environments. She was, in many eras, society’s most educated and artistically empowered woman—her sensuality and mastery of erudite crafts making her both revered and vulnerable. Vishwanathan underscores that devadasis were the “precious gems” of royal crowns, embodying pride not only in attainment but also in the art of lovers, spirituality, and eros.
Vishwanathan traces the shifts in the devadasi’s status—from sacred temple servant to marginalized figure—unpacking how social, colonial, and patriarchal pressures recast their heritage as taboo or shameful. Yet, the book refuses to reduce the devadasi’s narrative to victimhood; instead, it highlights their agency, resilience, and contributions that indelibly shaped classical Indian dance traditions, especially Bharatanatyam. Vishwanathan’s research, including oral histories and personal encounters, brings to life women such as Pandanallur Jayalakshmi, ensuring their legacies are not erased.
The prose balances affectionate tribute, rigorous scholarship, and personal reflection. Vishwanathan’s own career as a dancer-scholar informs her nuanced appreciation for the devadasis—not just as historical curiosities, but as living sources of aesthetic and spiritual wisdom. The writing offers empathy and admiration for women who passed down culture despite social turbulence, reaffirming their pride and artistry against all odds.
Women of Pride stands as an important corrective to received narratives about the devadasi system, showing that their heritage is one of creative perseverance and transformation, not mere scandal or decline. The work compels readers to see the devadasis as cultural ambassadors, spiritual seekers, and masterful artists whose stories still enrich Indian cultural imagination today.
The book is essential for anyone seeking a fuller understanding of the intersections between gender, art, and spirituality in South Asian heritage—an illuminating bridge between history’s silences and the proud, unbroken rhythm of the devadasi tradition.
Vishwanathan traces the shifts in the devadasi’s status—from sacred temple servant to marginalized figure—unpacking how social, colonial, and patriarchal pressures recast their heritage as taboo or shameful. Yet, the book refuses to reduce the devadasi’s narrative to victimhood; instead, it highlights their agency, resilience, and contributions that indelibly shaped classical Indian dance traditions, especially Bharatanatyam. Vishwanathan’s research, including oral histories and personal encounters, brings to life women such as Pandanallur Jayalakshmi, ensuring their legacies are not erased.
The prose balances affectionate tribute, rigorous scholarship, and personal reflection. Vishwanathan’s own career as a dancer-scholar informs her nuanced appreciation for the devadasis—not just as historical curiosities, but as living sources of aesthetic and spiritual wisdom. The writing offers empathy and admiration for women who passed down culture despite social turbulence, reaffirming their pride and artistry against all odds.
Women of Pride stands as an important corrective to received narratives about the devadasi system, showing that their heritage is one of creative perseverance and transformation, not mere scandal or decline. The work compels readers to see the devadasis as cultural ambassadors, spiritual seekers, and masterful artists whose stories still enrich Indian cultural imagination today.
The book is essential for anyone seeking a fuller understanding of the intersections between gender, art, and spirituality in South Asian heritage—an illuminating bridge between history’s silences and the proud, unbroken rhythm of the devadasi tradition.
October 4, 2024
This is an OUTSTANDING book - it's written very engagingly and multi-talented danseuse Lakshmi Vishwanathan weaves it together beautifully, educating the reader on so many aspects of the Devadasi culture and the art that they carried and embodied. Not to be missed.
October 27, 2023
Extremely interesting read. This book traces back the early developments of devadasi heritage in southern India (Andhra & Tamilnadu). It refers to detailed pictures of oral and temple traditions, customs, rituals, myth, poetry, sexuality, and religious beliefs related to the devadasi history. In general, it exposes the reader to a moderate awareness of the world of a devadasi.
The extraordinary part of the book is the detailed pieces on Devadasis who were documented during pre & post colonial India. It is a mixture of thorough research in addition to the lived experiences of the author as an established dancer herself, both as a student of the classical art form of Bharatnatyam, as a mesmerized audience of some of the remaining devadasis, as well as her experience as a dancer. I personally applaud the author's efforts of keeping her voice as fact based as possible, because such elaborate a narrative required comments, which could easily be a victim to biases. But she tries to dig in, research more when she comments on something. Makes efforts to keep the validity of the comments intact. She criticizes many practices, and points out the inevitable ironies underneath.
But still, the narrative seems incomplete. It feels there is still a lot more to know, and discover about this heritage. At times the spirituality of the devadasi is favored a lot more than the real human beings. The blur between women of free will and women seen as extraordinary in terms of beauty, knowledge, power, and piety is very much visible. We need more work to reach the women of this class beyond the practices of devadasi heritage, the people behind the mask, in this book, if one is looking for such. Especially in individual notes, sometimes, the author reaches out to the human underneath, but it barely touches when she comes back to the practices again.
I craved for a continuity with temple traditions of South India, other than Sadir and Bharatnatyam. I wish the author had somehow connected the development of other dance forms as well, like Odissi or the vibgyor of Kerala, which has the roots in, or had been developed out of the temple traditions. Since, all of these forms were siblings of a cultural practice, I was seeking more.
Overall, as I said earlier as well.. A well-researched piece. An extremely interesting read. I would recommend.
The extraordinary part of the book is the detailed pieces on Devadasis who were documented during pre & post colonial India. It is a mixture of thorough research in addition to the lived experiences of the author as an established dancer herself, both as a student of the classical art form of Bharatnatyam, as a mesmerized audience of some of the remaining devadasis, as well as her experience as a dancer. I personally applaud the author's efforts of keeping her voice as fact based as possible, because such elaborate a narrative required comments, which could easily be a victim to biases. But she tries to dig in, research more when she comments on something. Makes efforts to keep the validity of the comments intact. She criticizes many practices, and points out the inevitable ironies underneath.
But still, the narrative seems incomplete. It feels there is still a lot more to know, and discover about this heritage. At times the spirituality of the devadasi is favored a lot more than the real human beings. The blur between women of free will and women seen as extraordinary in terms of beauty, knowledge, power, and piety is very much visible. We need more work to reach the women of this class beyond the practices of devadasi heritage, the people behind the mask, in this book, if one is looking for such. Especially in individual notes, sometimes, the author reaches out to the human underneath, but it barely touches when she comes back to the practices again.
I craved for a continuity with temple traditions of South India, other than Sadir and Bharatnatyam. I wish the author had somehow connected the development of other dance forms as well, like Odissi or the vibgyor of Kerala, which has the roots in, or had been developed out of the temple traditions. Since, all of these forms were siblings of a cultural practice, I was seeking more.
Overall, as I said earlier as well.. A well-researched piece. An extremely interesting read. I would recommend.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews