The Devadasi And The Saint: The Life And Times Of Bangalore Nagarathnamma by Sriram V

The Devadasi And The Saint: The Life And Times Of Bangalore Nagarathnamma by Sriram V

Author:Sriram V [V, Sriram]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mobilism
Publisher: Westland
Published: 2007-12-02T00:00:00+00:00


Chapter 7

“Is it possible to remain firm and not be attracted at the sight of wily and beautiful women well dressed and with the charm of curly hair?” (Tyagaraja in “Tappibratikipova Tarama”, raga Todi, tala Rupakam)1

In 1727, when the Royal Charter recognising and reorganising the Mayor’s Court of Madras was received, the ceremonial procession had included “dancing girls who beat time with their feet to the rhythmic strains of Nautch music”.2 By then, Nautch which was a corruption of the Hindustani term for dance had come to be equated with the art of the Devadasi. It was an era of tolerance and many British Sahibs and Nabobs maintained dancing girls in their retinue. The law courts however had much to do with Devadasis, for litigation was very common among them especially over temple hereditary rights, control over property, adoption and challenges to their status in temples from avaricious trustees, who often promoted their own favourites. By the time the modern system of justice came into existence with the setting up of the High Courts of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras in 1861, it was accepted that Devadasis “were a distinct group governed by a unique customary law”.3

The Madras High Court in successive judgements between 1862 and 1889, while making it clear that it disapproved of the system, recognised that Devadasis were a separate social group. The High Court was of the view that given no legislation outlawing the system itself, the law had to respond when cases came up pertaining to rights of status. inheritance, adoption and survivorship of the Devadasis.4 The law also distinguished between dedicated Devadasis and generally unchaste women and the latter were not governed by the laws applicable to the former.5 This aspect also applied to certain elements of the Indian Penal Code, which forbade prostitution of minors and which the High Court ruled as not applicable when it came to adoption of children by Devadasis.6 Over a period of time however it became very convenient to apply laws pertaining to prostitution when deciding Devadasi disputes. Despite this, the High Court remained ambivalent, applying the customary law in a few cases and the IPC in others.7 The Courts and the Government however never equated the Devadasis with common prostitutes.

With western education gradually gaining ground, the Government was repeatedly pressurised to bring in reforms in the Devadasi system. Social reformers, Theosophists and followers of reformist organisations, such as the Ramakrishna Mission condemned the practice of dedicating girls to temples and equated it with prostitution.8 A virulent campaign against Devadasis was launched in 1881 under the leadership of Nagarathnamma’s bete noire, Veeresalingam Pantulu.9 The Anti-Nautch movement as it came to be called received the support of Christian missionaries who were appalled at European officers attending Nautch sessions.10 In 1893, Veeresalingam submitted a memorandum to the Governor, Lord Wenlock, in which he equated Nautch girls with prostitutes and requested the Governor to abstain from any event in which their dance was presented.11 The decision of the Mysore Government in 1909



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