SOCIAL STATUS OF DEVADASIS DURING THE 7TH AND 8TH CENTURIES IN TAMILNADU

Abstract

Religions are not just systems of belief; they are also organizations, or parts of organizations. They have a communal and social significance, which goes by the name of social dimension. The social shape of a religion is of course, to some extent determined by the religious and ethical ideals and practices that it harbors. Conversely, it often happens that the religious and ethical ideals are adapted to existing social conditions and attitudes. It is incidentally, clear that the ongoing patterns of ritual are an important element in the institutionalization of religion, if it is believed that certain ceremonies and sacraments can be properly performed only by a priest, then the religious institution will be partly determined to the need to maintain and protect a professional priesthood and the institution of the devadasis in the temples. The devadasi system was a popular institution in the history of early India. Were serving the gods in the temples throughout India. M. S. Aiyangar says that the aesthetic arts were given a religious tone from about the 7th century CEwhen dancing and playing dramas were encourage to draw large crowds of devotees to the temples. Thus, hundreds of dancing girls or gandharvirs was attached to every important temple. According to K. K. Pillay the system became common in South Indian temples only after the 7th century CE The creation of the institution of devadasis, the carving of the Maithuna sculpture in temples, and the exhibition of sex influence in religious rituals in India. These, raised their ugly heads only after the 8th century CE, a period of decadence in Indian culture.