Devadasi survey begins in Karnataka amid confusion over documents to be provided

The third survey of devadasis in Karnataka commenced on Monday amid confusion over the list of documents sought by the government to establish the identity. Activists claim many are not even aware that a survey is under way, given inadequate publicity.

A number of devadasis who went to their respective taluk office of the Women and Child Welfare Department on Monday had to return home without completing the survey, since they lacked documents that included the family tree. In some places, server issues slowed down the registration.

The government has mandated among over a dozen documents from those devadasis and their family members who have been left out of the previous surveys or from the families of the deceased devadasis. Confusion seems to prevail in the taluk offices since a self declaration is also accepted, according to officials.

Family tree issue

Shobha S. Gasthi, a former devadasi and a member of the government-appointed Belagavi district committee, felt that the insistence of family tree would prevent many from getting benefits. The family tree may take more than a fortnight to just apply for and the survey process may be over before they get it, she said.

She also pointed out that though the survey has started, the district committee was yet to meet even once.

Yamanurappa Halavagli, son of a devadasi and State coordinator of the Karnataka Vimuktha Devadasi Mahila Matthu Makkala Vedike, said: “The survey is not being done transparently. District committees have not been trained before the survey. In fact, in several districts committee itself has not been formed”.

In 15 districts

The survey of devadasis is being conducted in 15 North and Central Karnataka districts where the system of dedicating women to temple services has been found to be prevailing even after the Karnataka Devadasis (Prohibition of Dedication) Act, 1982, was enacted.

While the first two surveys conducted in 1993-1994 and 2008-2009 identified 23,630 and 46,660 devadasis, respectively, several thousands had been left out since an age criteria of 45 and above had been imposed.

The current survey follows the State Human Rights Commission direction to the government to conduct a fresh survey before October 24.

R.V. Chandrashekar, the petitioner before the SHRC and a member of State-level committee, said: “Though we had demanded that the age criteria should not be implemented, the app created for the purpose has the age criteria again”.

Self declaration

However, government officials in Bengaluru insisted that a self declaration was sufficient and family tree has not been mandated. “The application of those who are not identified in the previous survey will be dealt with by the Deputy Commissioner-headed survey that will verify and declare an applicant as a devadasi. This process is going on simultaneously,” said an official.

Regarding the age criteria, official sources said that the devadasi system could be going on as a religious practice, but it stopped being a social evil long back. “There are efforts being made to get ineligible persons in the list because the benefits are high.”