Untouchables of Asia - Devdasi, servant of god

Jakob Carlsen

Freelance

Shri Yelluma is 25 years old. When she was 9 years old she was given as a gift to the goddess yelluma and became a devdasi, servant of the god. In reality she was kept as a prostitute for the priests in the temple and the local landlords. When she was 18 years old she was transferred to the red light district in Mumbai, India, and is now working for her pimp Raja. Only untouchable girls become devdasis, servants of Yelluma

Jakob Carlsen, "Untouchables of Asia - Devdasi, servant of god," in POYi Archive, Item #43134, http://archive.poy.org/index.php/items/show/43134 (accessed June 8, 2025).