The Isaivellalar women, known as the devadasis, occupied a place of power and prestige, through the practice of classical music and dance in temples. The devadasi system was abolished in the 1920s, after a campaign against its “immorality” and the suspicion that the women were “prostitutes”. Even till the 1930s, the Chennai Music Academy would host dancers from the devadasi community, like Kumbakonam Varalakshmi, Bhanumathi, and the legendary Balasaraswati. “Many devadasis wrote letters and articles against it, they termed the abolition a human-rights violation as the devadasi system was also a right to livelihood based on art. “The devadasi system is long gone but we are its remnants.

Source: Indian Express February 16, 2020 00:31 UTC