Indian temple dancers in the eyes of foreigners

by Subashini Pathmanathan

Performing and practising dance in Hindu temples was a part of Indian life. Historical evidence and accounts of numerous foreign travellers who visited India had given valuable information regarding the practice of dance in temples. The practice of Devadasis dancing started at temples in India mainly to entertain the deity of the temple.

The dancing at temples started from time immemorial. According to Padma Puranam which was believed to have been written in the 4th century AD, anyone who offers a beautiful woman to dance will go to heaven.

The Chola period was considered as the golden era of Tamil culture and literature. The Chola kings made a tremendous contribution to the development of art and culture. They employed dancing girls to serve in the temple rituals, poojas and festivals.

A French traveller Travenier who visited India during the 17th century said courtesans bought young slaves to whom they taught dance and music. The girls were between the age of 11 and 12 years. Their mistresses sent them to the temples with the belief that it would bring fortune.

In the 13th century Marco Polo who visited India wrote that for the male and female idols the people offered their daughters to dance and sing to cheer them.

The Portuguese traveller Domingo Paes who visited India in the 16th century said in temples they fed the idols with food while women danced.

In the 17th century Fray Marique wrote about the car festival of the Durga pooja of West Bengal where the dancers danced in front of the car. The historian Ferista indicates that when Sultan Alauddin Bahmani conquered certain parts of Karnataka he also captured certain temple dancers.

One writer had written during the period of temple festivals in north India that girls danced at temples. One of the reports of Madras Music Academy indicated that daily worship of the temples was performed with Natyam.

In Orissa Devadasis were known as Maharis at Vaishnava and Saiva temples. In Tamil Nadu temple dancers danced in Saiva and Vaishnava temples with the same enthusiasm. For instance, in Sri Rangam and in Rameshwaram temples we can find such evidence.

Assam Devadasis were known as Natis. In Maharashtra, dancing girls were known as Murlis. In Tamil Nadu temple dancers and Devadasis were called by several names such as Devaradiyarkal and Thaliyeyalallarkal.

There is evidence that many temple dancers danced in the festival processions. For instance, during the Tirupathi car festivals dance girls danced in front of the car. The girls were selected from the crowd by the Brahmins. The temples generally maintained the records of the number of dancers of the temples. The evidence revealed that the Suchindram temple in Kerala had 72 dancers. And the temple followed many customs practised in Tamil Nadu. According to Abbe Dubois, the 19th century scholar, every temple had a minimum 8 to 12 dancing girls.

Yet another writer wrote that some large temples such as Kanchipuram had more than 100 dancing girls. Abbe Dubois said singing and dancing twice a day in the temple were important functions.

In some temples the best dancers were selected to dance before the chief idol.

Later this function became a hereditary right of the dancers. The Godwari district report provided that the funeral pyre of each dancer was lighted with the fire brought from the temple. Legally dance was banned in temples during the British era in India.

But this tradition was followed and practised in Pudukkatai. Some Devadasis danced till old age. One Devadasi named Kamakshi of Tanjore danced till she turned 75. Hence the bond between the dancers and temples was an integral part of the Indian culture.