The annual Huligemma Jatra, which is held on the last Friday of the Poush Mas, (which fell on Jan 15, this year) attracts thousands of people from Bijapur and Raichur districts in Karnataka and Solapur in Maharashtra. Until a few years ago, this festival was also known for the Bettale Seve (nude parade) offered by teenage girls to the presiding deity. After offering the nude service some of the girls would be initiated into the Devadasi profession.

Devadasis (servants of God), as the name implies has over a period of time come to represent an honourable appellation for the word prostitute. Devadasi's or Basavis as they are known in the local lingo are today exploited by the rich and powerful in the villages. So much so,that there are people who argue that the Devadasi system helps prevail sexual tranquility in society. Moreover, most of the Devadasis belong to the lower strata of society and are dependent on this profession for their livelihood. This leaves them with no chance of a better life.

After the Devadasi system was banned, several schemes were formulated by the Government to rehabilitate them into the mainstream of society. Sustained educational and awareness campaigns were also launched by various social groups like the Dalita Sangharasha Samiti (DSS) which was instrumental in eradicating this evil to a large extent. However, there are still cases where people offer their female wards to this system like the one at Tondehal village.

However, Lingsugur Dy SP M M Dowla has strongly refuted any charge that nude service was held during the festival recently or that teenage girls were initiated into the Devadasi system. "The administration is very keen to put an end to this system. On the eve of the jatra, meetingswere held in the village to persuade people to discourage such practices which are a blot on humanity." He, however, admitted that it would be difficult to check anyone from stealthily becoming a Devadasi.

It is interesting to note that out of the 120 houses in Tondehal village, three belong to Harijan families and all these families are initiated into the Devadasi system. The youngest Devadasi Thippavva is 40 years old. The other two Devadasis are Durugavva (70) and Balamma (55).

The villagers told this correspondent that except for these three, no other girl or woman had become a Devadasi during the last two decades.

The people by and large including elected representatives confirm that the age old practice had more or less come to an end. However, they said, devotees from neighbouring Bagalkot and Bijapur districts and also from Solapur in Maharashtra still come in large numbers and initiate themselves into the Devadasi cult.

Lingusgur MLA Amaregowda Bayyapur has stoutly denied the reports thatgirls have been initiated into Devadasi system. The people of Tondehal are angry with the media for tarnishing the image of their village.

Interestingly, the DSS has said that about 50 girls have been made Devadasis during the recent jatra. However, there is no corroborative evidence to support their claims. In fact, the DySP has requested the Raichur SP to send a high-level team to Tondehal to get a first hand account of the situation.

All said and done, several years after banning it and making the practice of Devadasi a punishable offence (no one has been punished so far), the nude service and Devadasis continue to haunt people of this district.