‖ devadasi
(deɪvəˈdɑːsɪ)
[a. Skr. devadāsī, lit. ‘a female servant of a god’ (cf. deva).]
A nautch girl in a Hindu temple.
| 1817 tr. Dubois' Manners & Customs of India iii. iii. 401 Next to the Sacrificers, the most important persons about the temple are the dancing girls, who call themselves Devadasi, Servants or slaves of the gods. 1886 in Yule & Burnell Hobson-Jobson 237/2. 1913 J. N. Farquhar Crown of Hinduism (1919) 397 To this day troops of dancing-girls, who are called devadasis, servants of the god, and who now and then do take part in the ritual, but whose real occupation is prostitution, are connected with most of the great temples of the South and West. 1931 Times Educ. Suppl. 8 Aug. 313/3 Legislation to abolish brothels and the system of dedication to temple uses of devadasis. 1958 E. Linklater Position at Noon i. 16 His sublime, inspired, and supernacular tart (or devadasi). |