Devadasis are women dedicated to the service of a god. Trained from an early age to sing and dance, they are taught that it is their sacred duty to provide sexual services to men. They are often called “the sacred prostitutes of India.” While devadasis are revered as mediums of the gods, they are also reviled as impure. Poverty is the main reason for dedication and they are drawn from the lowest castes. For thousands of years, devadasis performed devotional dances and dance-dramas inside the temple, but reformers eventually forced them out. Ancient beliefs and economic necessity, however, keep the system alive. While the lives of modern devadasis often resemble those of commercial sex workers, they continue to play a spiritual role in their villages.

In Servants of the Goddess, Catherine Rubin Kermorgant brings to life the world of modern devadasis. By interweaving an account of the lives of five devadasi women and her experiences traveling and researching the subject for a documentary film, the reader comes to understand the complicated society in which the system is embedded. This book is a testament to the strength and vitality of women.

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