Kalaburagi girl forced into Devadasi system rescued

KALABURAGI: Government officials and members of voluntary organisations on Thursday rescued a 11-year-old-girl who had been made a Devadasi five years ago. The Kalaburagi district administration had earlier claimed that the Devadasi practice was completely eradicated.

According to the Devadasi system, girls who are made Devadasis in their early age would be sent with men who promise to look after them, once they become mature, District Children Welfare Committee members said.

On learning that preparations were being made to send the girl with a man, the team rushed to Bedsoor village and rescued Kamalavva (name changed). There is a temple of Goddess Samavva at the village where the Devadasi practice is still exists.
The rescue team questioned the temple priest Sharanappa (70), who said he had been performing Devadasi rituals for over 40 years.

Sharanappa claimed he gets possessed by Goddess Samavva every Tuesday and Friday. When the Goddess tells him to ask parents to make their daughters devadasis, he would convey the “divine suggestions”.
He told the team that many girls from Ratkal, Bedsoor, Kandgol, Kalagi and other villages had taken “Devadasi deeksha” in the last 40 years.

Kamalavva had taken Devadasi deeksha five years ago and she is now studying in Fifth Standard.
The team brought Kamalavva, her parents and the priest to Kalagi police station on Thursday. The girl would be admitted to the State Home for Girls, officials said.