DEVADASIS - DANCERS OF THE HOLY TEMPLES
Devadasis were the young girls dedicated to the Gods for Temple services and dance performing. They were not belonging to a particular state or a region in a country. They were seen throughout the world and occupy the whole countries. They were called in different names and they have been in the world since the memory of the human living.
The Devadasis were found in the inscriptions of a stone in the olden Tamil literature. They were called as Temple slum girls & gems of a Temple. They were also called as satharani, Aushra, Oura & Yathi in the Vedic and Tamil literatures.
The Devadasis were called in different names from different states. They were called as sani, Mathanki and Vilashini from Andrapradesh. In Karnataka they were called as Suulis, Sani & Pathras. From Maharashtra they Young girls (devadasis) were called as Pasavi and a duchess of Konkani. In Uttarpradesh those girls were called as ‘Bavini" and from Odissa they were called as ‘Mahari'.
These young girls were called as ‘Keiro' (God's Maids) in Greek mythology and they were called as ‘Enthu' (God's Bride Groom) in Babilonia.
Agama's called them as Kanigai and ‘Ruthu Kanigai' They were very excellent in dancing and music and their performance in operating the music instruments were highly admirable. The Devadasis conducted these performances in the sanctum and sanctarium of the Temple everyday. The saiva and vainava epics ruled the young girls were completed to perform dances and music.
Usually when a girl attains puberty or twelve she is ready for rendering service (Pottu Kattuthal) to God and her life companion. This means she is capable of giving birth to a child if she is married to a man. On the other hand, if she is left alone for the service of the God, then this event is considered a holy event in her young age. This holy event was conducted by an old woman in this society and being conducted in the heart of the Temple. This sacrilege event was sometimes conducted by old Temple Priests. The devadasis everyday sing, dance and perform prayer songs to celebrate the sanctity of the Temple.
These young girls participate in the evening and early morning prayer chanting without fail. They also participate in the meetings of the Temple saint during the temple festivals. The old saints utter the 16 chantings and devadasis too repeat them by showing or using their signs. These young girls dance during the chantings and begin to act according to the Devaram songs.
The young girls were given much importance during the festival times. During the inauguration of the Temple or flag - hoisting of a Temple, their Presence and their dance Performance felt important. The nine gods were placed in their own directions. BRAHMAN Sannithi samapatham, Agni Sannithi Mandala nirutham, Indra Sannithi busanga nirutham, Eman Sannithi Danda patha nirutham, niraruthi sannithi Pusanga Thirasa nirutham, Varuna Sannithi. Kunjitha nirutham, Vayu Sannithi. Pusanga Lalitham, Kubera sannithi santhiya nirutham, Esana sannithi. Vurthuva patha nirutham. And they were ceremonised by the Devadasis. Each gods were given due importance and different dance was enacted.
Before the gods were in the street, they will be adorned by these young girls. They sing a beautiful song when the god was in the west street and they perform a wonderful dance (in order to listening pathangal) along with a Devaram songs when the god will be in the middle east.
In the Temple of Thiruvarur, these young girls sing a song on the corner side of Ganapathy (The first Hindu God) with great fervour. They worship lord Ganapathy with chantings of great respect. They also used to worship God's feet during the early morning periods The devadsis sing a song of pushpanjali during the month of puratasi Thingal (6th Month Tamil Calender) to honour Thiyakesa Perumal.
During the day of Thriuvathirai at Thiruvalaputhur, they (the young girls) stop dancing and began to sing a song of Devaram from the North street upto east and the songs more entirely different from the rest of it.
The notable characteristic of the devadasis were Perani Naatiyam, Chitra Naatiyam, Simma Naatiyam, and Kudakoothu. They were not belong to a Particular community or race but they were a typical society. A woman became a devadasi either by herself of bought by money.
Another important episode says that (during the period of Raja Raja) a person had bought four young girls for more Seven hundred paisa and they were offered to God of Thiruvalankadu. This information is getter from the stone inscriptions in the year 1174. (ARE 80/19113)
A King of Kollikadu from Kerala, (later he became a vainava Azhwar) offered his only daughter Neeladevi to the god of Thiruvarunga (Thiruvangur Archeology row V, Pg No. - 102- 114). The daughter of Uraiyur Nanda Chola by name cholavalli voluntarily became devadasi. The most significant thing was that the devadasis were not only as dancers but also were queens in the forts. The kings even got married the devadasis and led a happy life. Jadavarman the king of Madurai got married a woman (devadasi sokkathandal) with full traditions and conventions. (ARE 1929-30-269). The wife of woisala vallalar by name Pommala Devi (daughter of Miruthanga Vidwan lakkaya) was also a devadasi before she got married. We come to know many information like this from the above incidents about devadasis.
If a Devadasi dies in a timple, her body will be covered by a cloth from the sanctum and sanctarium (Karuvarai) of the gods. There will be no chantings, no prayers. The door of the temple will be closed an entire the day and her body would be infront of the main gate for a minute. The body will be cremated by getting fire from the holy Temple. This speciality was given only to Devadasis.
In 1947, Devadasi system was abolished and a bill was passed. This put and end to this system and the duties and services of the Devadasis were completely forgotten.
With the disappearance of the devadasis many kinds of Naatiyams, [PUJANGA THIRASAM, PUJANGA PRAMANAM, SUBALILA, KARTHARI]. Came to standstill. This is one of the greatest regret to the humanity.
In the temple of today, we are unable to notice the dance of the devadasis But the dance (Naatiyam rendered to lord siva) can be seen every where. The art of dancing never died although the devadasi system was abolished. So Let us all worship and honour, remember and recall the achievements of Devadasis in the olden periods of the Temples for ever.
Devadasis were the young girls dedicated to the Gods for Temple services and dance performing. They were not belonging to a particular state or a region in a country. They were seen throughout the world and occupy the whole countries. They were called in different names and they have been in the world since the memory of the human living.
The Devadasis were found in the inscriptions of a stone in the olden Tamil literature. They were called as Temple slum girls & gems of a Temple. They were also called as satharani, Aushra, Oura & Yathi in the Vedic and Tamil literatures.
The Devadasis were called in different names from different states. They were called as sani, Mathanki and Vilashini from Andrapradesh. In Karnataka they were called as Suulis, Sani & Pathras. From Maharashtra they Young girls (devadasis) were called as Pasavi and a duchess of Konkani. In Uttarpradesh those girls were called as ‘Bavini" and from Odissa they were called as ‘Mahari'.
These young girls were called as ‘Keiro' (God's Maids) in Greek mythology and they were called as ‘Enthu' (God's Bride Groom) in Babilonia.
Agama's called them as Kanigai and ‘Ruthu Kanigai' They were very excellent in dancing and music and their performance in operating the music instruments were highly admirable. The Devadasis conducted these performances in the sanctum and sanctarium of the Temple everyday. The saiva and vainava epics ruled the young girls were completed to perform dances and music.
Usually when a girl attains puberty or twelve she is ready for rendering service (Pottu Kattuthal) to God and her life companion. This means she is capable of giving birth to a child if she is married to a man. On the other hand, if she is left alone for the service of the God, then this event is considered a holy event in her young age. This holy event was conducted by an old woman in this society and being conducted in the heart of the Temple. This sacrilege event was sometimes conducted by old Temple Priests. The devadasis everyday sing, dance and perform prayer songs to celebrate the sanctity of the Temple.
These young girls participate in the evening and early morning prayer chanting without fail. They also participate in the meetings of the Temple saint during the temple festivals. The old saints utter the 16 chantings and devadasis too repeat them by showing or using their signs. These young girls dance during the chantings and begin to act according to the Devaram songs.
The young girls were given much importance during the festival times. During the inauguration of the Temple or flag - hoisting of a Temple, their Presence and their dance Performance felt important. The nine gods were placed in their own directions. BRAHMAN Sannithi samapatham, Agni Sannithi Mandala nirutham, Indra Sannithi busanga nirutham, Eman Sannithi Danda patha nirutham, niraruthi sannithi Pusanga Thirasa nirutham, Varuna Sannithi. Kunjitha nirutham, Vayu Sannithi. Pusanga Lalitham, Kubera sannithi santhiya nirutham, Esana sannithi. Vurthuva patha nirutham. And they were ceremonised by the Devadasis. Each gods were given due importance and different dance was enacted.
Before the gods were in the street, they will be adorned by these young girls. They sing a beautiful song when the god was in the west street and they perform a wonderful dance (in order to listening pathangal) along with a Devaram songs when the god will be in the middle east.
In the Temple of Thiruvarur, these young girls sing a song on the corner side of Ganapathy (The first Hindu God) with great fervour. They worship lord Ganapathy with chantings of great respect. They also used to worship God's feet during the early morning periods The devadsis sing a song of pushpanjali during the month of puratasi Thingal (6th Month Tamil Calender) to honour Thiyakesa Perumal.
During the day of Thriuvathirai at Thiruvalaputhur, they (the young girls) stop dancing and began to sing a song of Devaram from the North street upto east and the songs more entirely different from the rest of it.
The notable characteristic of the devadasis were Perani Naatiyam, Chitra Naatiyam, Simma Naatiyam, and Kudakoothu. They were not belong to a Particular community or race but they were a typical society. A woman became a devadasi either by herself of bought by money.
Another important episode says that (during the period of Raja Raja) a person had bought four young girls for more Seven hundred paisa and they were offered to God of Thiruvalankadu. This information is getter from the stone inscriptions in the year 1174. (ARE 80/19113)
A King of Kollikadu from Kerala, (later he became a vainava Azhwar) offered his only daughter Neeladevi to the god of Thiruvarunga (Thiruvangur Archeology row V, Pg No. - 102- 114). The daughter of Uraiyur Nanda Chola by name cholavalli voluntarily became devadasi. The most significant thing was that the devadasis were not only as dancers but also were queens in the forts. The kings even got married the devadasis and led a happy life. Jadavarman the king of Madurai got married a woman (devadasi sokkathandal) with full traditions and conventions. (ARE 1929-30-269). The wife of woisala vallalar by name Pommala Devi (daughter of Miruthanga Vidwan lakkaya) was also a devadasi before she got married. We come to know many information like this from the above incidents about devadasis.
If a Devadasi dies in a timple, her body will be covered by a cloth from the sanctum and sanctarium (Karuvarai) of the gods. There will be no chantings, no prayers. The door of the temple will be closed an entire the day and her body would be infront of the main gate for a minute. The body will be cremated by getting fire from the holy Temple. This speciality was given only to Devadasis.
In 1947, Devadasi system was abolished and a bill was passed. This put and end to this system and the duties and services of the Devadasis were completely forgotten.
With the disappearance of the devadasis many kinds of Naatiyams, [PUJANGA THIRASAM, PUJANGA PRAMANAM, SUBALILA, KARTHARI]. Came to standstill. This is one of the greatest regret to the humanity.
In the temple of today, we are unable to notice the dance of the devadasis But the dance (Naatiyam rendered to lord siva) can be seen every where. The art of dancing never died although the devadasi system was abolished. So Let us all worship and honour, remember and recall the achievements of Devadasis in the olden periods of the Temples for ever.
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