The Devadasi Controversy

The famous Tamil lyrist Vairamuthu has become entrenched in controversy for having called Andal, one of the most famous Tamil poets from 7th century - a Devadasi.

Who was Andal?
Andal or Kothai was found in the flower gardens by her father the great Alwar - Vishnuchittar. She grew up seeing her father's devotion to Lord Vishnu and fell in love with HIM. She used to make beautiful flower garlands and send it through her father to adorn the deity. When she heard her father saying that one particular day was auspicious for marriage, she made a huge garland and wore it first. Her logic, when the Lord would wear it next, it would be an exchange of garlands and thus they would be married. But a single strand of her hair got caught in the garland and seeing this the priest rejected her garland. Feeling insulted, her father questioned her and she accepted that she had indeed worn the garland first.
What happened next is a miracle. When Vishnuchittar returned with another garland, the priest was waiting with a puzzled expression. The Lord was rejecting garland upon garland and all of them were falling down.
At that point they heard a voice (ashariri) which said that the Lord wanted the Garland which had been rejected by the priest - the one with Andal's hair!! The voice also asked Vishnuchittar to bring his daughter dressed as a bride; so that the Lord could marry her.
It is said that Andal entered the sanctum after her marriage to the Lord and vanished. It is supposed that she attained Vishnu paadam / Moksha.

Anyway, Andal is still celebrated today and her 30 verses -Tiruppavai are sung during the month of Margazhi (usually around December 15 - January 15). Each verse describes her love for the Lord. She has personified herself as a Gopi in Vrindavan in these poems.

She is the only one female saint among the 12 Alwars. And her father and her are the only father-daughter duo in the list!!

So was she a Devadasi?

Anyone married to the Lord is a Devadasi.
A lady who wanted to pursue religious life could not be a vagabond like men because of her physical drawbacks. She would have rather stayed in a temple and pursued her spiritual needs. This must have been the reason behind the establishment of the Devadasi cult. These women would stay inside the temple and do 'kainkaryam' for the Lord.  And since she would be married to the Lord, she was Mother to all and no one would dare touch her.The women were thus protected. Andal herself says she will marry no one else but the Lord. It was an exalted position; when it was established.

Like any position which becomes corrupted, the devadasis (who were supposed to be pious souls) fell prey to abuse and misuse. Women were/are not safe anywhere at anytime.

So, is the word 'devadasi' derogatory or is what happened to these ladies who were servants of god, derogatory?

Vairamuthu quoted the study by the Indiana University that Andal is Devadasi.

The term Devadasi for me is not Derogatory. But what happened to them is deplorable.

I would love and respect the great Andal, whether she be a Devadasi or otherwise. She gave the world - Tiruppavai, considered to be the essence of the Vedas. She made the strong subject accessable to all like how only a Mother can. She converted the thoughts into a beautiful poem in a language of the masses and that proves that she knew a lot and I respect that knowledge.

My pranamams to Andal.