Members of the Devadasi community, along with several activists, have criticised the Karnataka government's conduct of the Devadasi survey. Criticising the manner in which the Department of Women and Child Development conducted the survey, which concluded on December 31, 2025, they urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to continue the survey so that no woman is left out.
The major pitfall, as pointed out by several Devadasis, is that many women from the community either could not participate in the survey because they were unaware of it, or are uncertain whether their names are included in the list. They also allege that many women have been excluded because they lacked the necessary documentation to make their applications acceptable.
The survey, which had been announced in the 2024-25 state budget, was conducted between September 15 and December 31, 2025, in 15 districts at the direction of the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission. This is the third such survey after a survey in 1993-94 identified 22,873 women as devadasis and another in 2007-08 found 46,660 such women.
The Karnataka Assembly had passed the Karnataka Devadasi (Prevention, Prohibition, Relief and Rehabilitation) Act in September 2025, paving the way for the rehabilitation of Devadasis, which the 1982 Act did not have. The Act is now awaiting the President's assent.
A report was submitted to the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in early February. Still, officials claimed that the report was not final and that those who had already been identified should not be made to wait to receive benefits.
‘Not informed of survey, money used by officers’
The practice of dedicating young girls to the goddess Yellamma as Devadasis persists in many parts of northern Karnataka, despite the 1984 ban. Although they are dedicated to a goddess, in practice, several Devadasis say they are often forced into sex work or have long-term relations with men who take no responsibility for children born through these relations. The burden of stigma falls on the women and extends to the children who face social stigma when questioned about their fathers.
One of the women who shared her experience is Durgavati, a 30-year-old from Kudligi in the Vijayanagara district who says she was forced into the Devadasi practice at a very young age. Durgavati said her parents were illiterate and did not understand the consequences of the practice at that time. Because of this, she was forced into the Devadasi system when she was just nine years old.
“My parents did not know what kind of life this would become for me. Now they feel very guilty. They tell me many times that if they had known about the difficulties I would face, they would never have forced me into this,” she said. Durgavati further stated that she has submitted her documents to the officials for the re-survey, but still does not know whether her name has been included in the list.
She also alleged that she faced threats from some NGOs when she tried to submit her documents. “They told me I should not submit documents because I am young and that the practice is illegal. They said they would file a police complaint and get me arrested,” she said.
According to activists, applications from women younger than 42 are being rejected because officials cite the Karnataka Devadasis (Prohibition of Dedication) Act, 1982. The Act came into force in 1984.
Now a mother of three children, one daughter and two sons studying in the 5th and 2nd standard, Durgavati says her main focus is to educate her children and give them a better life.
“No girl should be forced into this practice. Although the government has banned it, it persists in some villages. I have stopped two girls in Uchchangi, Vijayanagara district, from being pushed into this system. No girl should suffer like me,” she said.
Sheekamma from Hosalli in Gangavathi, Koppal district, raised similar concerns. She said many Devadasis were not properly informed about the re-survey. She is also a member of the National Federation of Indian Women
Sheekamma also stated that she had submitted all the required documents and even shared the OTP with officials during the process, but she is still unsure whether her name has been included in the re-survey list. “They did not inform many people in rural areas. Because of that, many Devadasis did not even know that the survey was happening, and they could not apply,” she said.
Sheekamma also pointed out that many Devadasi women are now elderly or physically disabled. “Some are blind, some cannot hear or speak, and some do not even have their legs or hands. If they are not informed properly, how will they participate in the survey?” she asked.
She alleged that information about the process was shared with only a few people and that middlemen often took advantage of the situation. “The government releases funds for Devadasis, but much of it is taken by middlemen. Some officials also use the money. This should stop,” she said.
‘Many women have no documents’
Jyoti A, President of the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), Bangalore, who works closely with Devadasi communities in several districts, stated that many women faced difficulties in submitting the required documents for the survey. According to her, officials asked Devadasi women to submit documents such as Aadhaar card, death certificate, pension certificate, income certificate, proof of residence, and age proof.
However, she said many women do not have these documents. “Many of them migrate to different places for seasonal work because there are no jobs in their villages. Because of this, they don’t always have the documents that officials are asking for now,” she said.
Jyoti also recalled an incident where an elderly woman came to her office saying she had not been included in the survey and that she did not even know that a re-survey was being conducted, even though she was receiving a pension.
Jyoti said they recently went to submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister highlighting these concerns. “The CM was busy with the budget session. The memorandum was received by Mahesh Babu, Director of the Women and Welfare Association. But he did not even read the memorandum. While I was reading it, he was talking on the phone,” she alleged.
She also claimed there were irregularities in the survey process. “There is a lot of corruption in this re-survey. Some people who are not Devadasis have been included in the list to misuse the funds,” she said.
This article was written by a student intern working with TNM.