Vijayanagara: Devadasi : A Fallen Goddess

In this episode we will look in depth at one of the most fascinating women of the 15th & 16th century Vijayanagara. These women straddled the royal courts of Emperors, held the nobility in their palm of the hand and cuddled with the richest of the merchants.

And they are normally referred to as Devadasis.

Forced to become courtesans at an early age when they were dedicated for life to a deity, the community of women that history now refers to as Devadasis somehow managed to carve out a powerful social space for themselves. They left their mark on medieval art and literature, on sculpture, music and dance.