Hoping for Hope

Life is beautiful. What with the 46” LED screens and surround sound home theatre systems we own and the snazzy gadgets that adorn our kitchens. Not to forget those premium four wheelers that we cozy ourselves into on our way to give in to the gastronomical delights that the city’s finest has to offer. 

Oh yes, life is beautiful – for you and me.

But amidst all the luxury and the cushioning we have around us, sometimes, just sometimes it becomes necessary to take a small peek outside the window and into what life truly has to offer to those other than us. Not just to make us value and appreciate what we have, but to know that we can make a difference. 

I ended 2013 with that peek; a peek that opened my eyes to the life some women in our country face each day. A peek that made me look beyond my “beautiful” world into one those women are trying to make livable...let alone beautiful. A peek into how they are rising against all odds to live a normal life, to look into the mirror and not hang their heads in shame. A peek into the lives of Devadasis who had decided to look up and move on.

Many of you might wonder who these Devadasis are. It’s not your fault if you are not aware; I blame the society that we co-exist in, the one that conveniently shields us away from anything out of the ordinary. 

Mahadevi runs a goat rearing business in Shegunshi, Belgaum, KA
Source: Milaap.org

Devadasis. As the name suggests, they are but servants of God. Young girls are “married” to the temple goddess and are expected to serve the temple through their lifetime.  What began as a religious practice generations ago is now engulfed by prostitution. Yes, you read it right. Today, the practice has been banned and termed illegal. However, young girls continue to be forced into being Devadasis in smaller towns and villages across the country.

While violating the law and pursuing abolished practices is a norm in India, what is a little known fact as far as this practice is concerned is the ordeal these women and girls are put through. More often than not, it is family members who force these hapless women into the trade. Yes, I call it a trade because it has little to do with Temples and more to do with prostitution today.  A dire living and a social stigma to carry on for life; there is really not much left for them to go by. Most get bogged down by this generosity bestowed by society. Most. But there are some who dare to defy, dare to look up with their head held high and make a choice. They choose to be a Kaplana Chawla or a Kiran Bedi in their own way, in their own right.

I took a peek into the lives of these brave women through the window called Milaap. 

In today’s world when we give up on the slightest setback, imagine these women who have only known of a life full of failures. When we turn desolate and pessimist over career moves and failed romances, imagines these women who have never known focus or love in their lives. All they have seen is lust and the commoditization of their bodies in society.

Milaap, a micro lending organization has begun an initiative called the Hope Project to wipe away the myths that surround Devadasis and help these women build their lives. To truly abolish this practice and prevent young girls from falling prey to it again.

If the grit shown by these women is not enough, their method of bringing about a change in their lives definitely is admirable. Charity and donations for finances are not words that exist in their dictionaries. They take loans, through organizations like Milaap. Loans; which they repay with full interest.

Take for example the story of Mahananda. She was married off to the temple at 12, and sold to a trader from Sangli by her Uncles in the greed for money. At the tender age of 15, Mahananda became a “Temple Prostitute”. When she was 5 months into her first pregnancy she was made to abort her child and return to her “Devadasi” duties. Only when she was able to pay off the trader did she get a chance to escape. Instead of resigning to fate, Mahananda met an activist and began her life afresh. She took up stitching and ensured her daughters don’t get caught into the trap like she did.

Many like Mahananda have vowed to make a difference to their and their children’s lives. Roopa made a new beginning with a pan and photocopy shop, Mahadevi began a goat rearing business while Housabai sells Bananas. There are many such Mahananda’s and Housabai’s across villages in India who want to stand up on their own feet and become resilient. All they need is help, our help. With loans as minimum as Rs 500, we can help change lives. This is not charity; it is what we call empowerment.

To eradicate a social stigma is no mean task, esp. in the Indian society that is built on a foundation of rigid mindsets and strict beliefs. Who better to help uproot it than us? We; the urban and educated strata of the society who have the intelligence and understanding to know the difference between right and wrong. To empower the needy and develop the nation. Because development does not only mean building nuclear weapons and infrastructure, it also means giving each individual in India the right to live with dignity, respect and in a manner they choose to.

Empowering these women would mean helping them build a beautiful life. Maybe not like the one you and I have... but one that allows their children to inherit respect, education, independence and self reliance from them and not victimization, despair, loss and shame.

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To fund people and projects of your choice please visit The Hope Project