During the nineteenth century, the educational landscape in the Madras Presidency underwent significant changes under British colonial influence. While colonial administrators like Sir Wood promoted formal schooling for girls, these initiatives were primarily designed for children from Brahmin, merchant, or royal backgrounds. The specialized artistic training traditionally pursued by devadasis, or dancing women, was viewed as incompatible with the colonial vision of literacy. Consequently, these women and their children faced systemic exclusion from emerging secular and Christian educational institutions. Despite the refinement inherent in their traditional skills, devadasis were subjected to social ostracism and moral judgment, which effectively barred them from participating in the broader educational reforms of the era. This historical context highlights how colonial policies reinforced existing social hierarchies and marginalized traditional practitioners of the arts.
Source : Scroll.in
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