According to a report submitted by one-man commission recently , the two states together have about 80,000 Devadasi women. This was much over the estimated number of the AP social welfare commission, which put the figure at 24,273.
A one-man commission headed by Justice Raghunath Rao, a former judge, has found that the age-old social menace is prevalent in all districts in both the states. The commission was appointed by undivided AP government by the then chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy . It submitted the report on Devadasis recently stating that about 80,000 women still follow the system.
Devadasi system is a religious practice in south India mostly in Karnataka and Telangana, and partly in Andhra Pradesh. Parents, mostly of dalit communities, `marry' off their daughters to a local deity or a temple. The girls are forced to perform dances and are subjected to cruel beating.
The `marriage' usually occurs before the girl attains puberty . She is later forced to become a sex worker. This system is known by different names in different areas.Religious beliefs, caste and male domination, and poverty are main reasons behind this social problem.
Based on a public interest litigation, Supreme Court had directed the then united AP government to file a report on the condition of Devadasi women. The government gave the task to Justice Raghunath Rao, who visited all the districts and held discussions with all stakeholders including the victims.
The Commission in its report said though AP social welfare commission had submitted that there are 24,273 Devadasis (Karimnagar-5,861, Nizamabad-5,666, Mahbubnagar-2,879, Warangal-1,059, Anantapur-2,686, Kurnool2,197, Medak-1,145, Adilabad-906, Hyderabad 740, Chittoor 544, Nellore284, Rangareddy231, Nalgonda-40, Prakasam-26, Visakhapatnam-7, East Godavari-1,and Kadapa -1), the actual number could be more than 80,000.
The problem is more rampant in Telangana and Rayalaseema. This system has many names including Joginis in Medak and Warangal, Mathamma or Matangi in Nellore, Ongole, Prakasam, Balavi in Kurnool, Anantapur and Chittoor, Shiva Parvati, and Paravathulu in Karimnagar, Thayaramma in Vizianagaram, Ambabai in Rangareddy , and Devadasi in coastal districts.
These women are also forced to perform in `recording dance' parties. In many villages, dead Devadasis are not allowed to be cremated in the local crematoria. The commission recommended various measures including bank loans.
The National Commission for Women on Sunday convened a meeting with women commissions of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, AP and Telangana where they discussed the Devadasi system and how to curb it. They suggested that the Centre should come out with a legislation banning Davadasis.
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