DECODING THE DEVADASI SYSTEM: AN ARTICLE ON RELIGIOUSLY SANCTIONED PROSTITUTION IN INDIA

Abstract

This research paper aims to understand the control that informal institutions such as religion have over societal practices. All the laws that have been passed to prevent the exploitation of women, have not been able to hamper the power that religion has over the collective majority. Although a substantial amount of research has been done on the Devadasi system and the exploitation of the young girls that are party to it, not a lot of research has been done on the religious aspect of the same. Specifically, the brahminical hegemony that exploits young girls of the “lower castes” into becoming religious prostitutes. Many researchers and social workers have come up with several measures to curb the Devadasi system. These measures have been futile in stopping it. The reason being, that they are focused on the implementation of the law without taking into account the difficulty faced by the law in combating religious belief. In order to stop the Devadasi system, one would first have to understand the reason it still exists.