KOPPAL: While the rest of Karnataka was busy voting on May 13, several officials from the Koppal district administration were on their toes to prevent poor young girls from becoming Devadasis, a tradition where girls are not allowed to marry, but solicit men. The annual fair of Huligemma Devi Temple at Hulagi village in Koppal district witnesses “muttu kattuvadu”, a ritual of converting young girls as Devadasis.
This year, the district administration made elaborate arrangements to prevent such attempts around the temple. It is believed that those who become Devadasis have to go through the rituals at the temple. Policemen and officials in plainclothes kept a close watch on parents and a group of villagers accompanied by some local priests. “We stopped 30 attempts to convert girls as Devadasis this time.
In 2022, 300 such cases were reported in the temple. There were no FIRs, but the parents were counselled and sent home. On May 13, we found 30 families that wanted to convert young girls into Devadasis,” an official said, adding that due to increased awareness and vigilance, many families now conduct the rituals at homes or at some secluded spots at night. “Many poor and illiterate people become victims of this social evil. Girls are forced to go through the rituals and eventually become sex workers,” he said.