Indian (Sex) Servants of God

Devadasi literally means "Servant of God." Like Christian nuns, the Devadasi were girls who married a deity or temple.

In addition to taking care of the temple they learned and practiced classical Indian arts traditions. Originally, like nuns, they were to be celibate all their lives, but at some point in their history (likely as the wealth and prestige of temples grew) sex became part of their sacred duties. In Hindu belief, the Devadasi had sex to commune with their god; it was a sacred experience.

The Devadasi life was not forced upon anyone -- like many Christians dropped young girls off at nunneries, so did Hindus take their girls to be raised and trained for the honor of serving their faith. (Yes, I'm sure many of the poor just dropped off their kids for one less mouth to feed, but many a nun began thus -- or as an orphan.) This was not forced prostitution and the Devadasi occupied a rank next only to priests. They were revered, enjoying a high social status.

However, as colonialism imposed cultural changes, bringing about the demise of kingdoms and Hinduism itself, the Devadasis were deemed immoral for their sex outside of marriage -- as defined by Christians. They were not only frowned upon and classified as prostitutes, but many were forced to become prostitutes just to survive.

There is a movement to reclaim the role of Devadasi, both to uplift them historically (removing the Western biases) as well as to resurrect the legitimacy of the practices today. One such women is Kama of Kingston, who is interviewed here.

Kama knows (and can perform) her Kama Sutra, but she also knows so much more. Her blog is filled with political and cultural matters: "This is the personal diary and commentary of an Indian Devadasi escort living and working in the UK. I am hoping that this Blog will let me record my experiences and feelings about being young, foreign, and selling sex in the UK."

It's an amazing history, and quite surprising to see such a young little thing standing up tall (to be the nail who takes the hardest pounding) in such culturally, politically intolerant times of conservatism, censorship and control.

You can buy statuary with Devadasi images here, and watch videos of Kama here.