ABSTRACT
Caste based Hindu Social order devised, besides other abhorrent practices, a form of sexual slavery of girls from Dalit families to upper caste landlords packaged as service to a goddess in which parents of the girl are trapped as willing accomplices and victims are rendered helpless and powerless to extricate themselves from this painful and traumatic existence. Though the origin of the practice was more honourable and traditionally sourced from learned and skilled dancers of higher castes with no element of prostitution involved, its social degradation and linkage to Dalit communities started around AD 10th century with the destruction of temples and its culture. The different dimensions of the conceptualization of the Devdasi system have a common binding thread in the poverty of Dalit households and their dependence on higher castes for economic survival which is exploited by the latter skilfully manipulating their belief system in dedicating their girl children for this role. Its multi-dimensionality involves caste oppression, gender discrimination, forced labour, malicious use of religion for immoral gratification and violation of human rights.
State interventions regarding abolition of this practice by law and rehabilitation of Devdasis have failed to eliminate the practice entirely due to weak laws and their dismal implementation and rehabilitation package suffering from design and structural flaws and inadequate resources. The efforts of NGOs to liberate Devdasis from this practice have had a little better result but they fail to provide Devdasis alternative sustainable livelihood and ensure dignified treatment by society.
