Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c11.s1.t7.9

v2.c11.s1.t7.9

**Devadasi** Until the beginning of the 20th century, dancing still played a vital role in the religious rites of Indian temples. Dancers and their teachers (guru) and musicians were highly respected and accepted the offerings of the temple. In religious rites, dancers performed in front of the statue of Buddha. They were proficient in sacrificial ceremony, familiar with all kinds of offerings and praying scriptures, and played an extremely important role in the process of worshiping god. The dancing girl would be formally married to the gods and her first adorer, which was also the male's liturgy. These girls were called Devadasi. As dancers, they also often performed during auspicious activities. At that time, the temple was probably the most convenient place for people to watch such performances, and Devadasis enjoyed the living guarantee and highest honour. During the reign of British colonists, the position of Devadasis suffered a disastrous decline. They went to the palace or manor for performances, and sang praises of rulers accompanied with dance performances, which gradually lost religious significance. With political instability and change of artistic value of intellectual class, Devadasi lost the original social support, and Bharatanatyam was also on the verge of extinction.