As the Devadasi system having ceased decades ago at the 12th-century shrine, Parasmani resided in a leased house in the Balisahi section of the temple town, with the people’s assistance.
According to temple authorities, Parasmani Devi, the only living ‘devadasi’ of the Shri Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri, died on Saturday owing to old-age-related illnesses. She was 90 years old. As the system having ceased decades ago at the 12th-century shrine, Parasmani resided in a leased house in the Balisahi section of the temple town, with the people’s assistance. They wedded Lord Jagannath and accepted him as their “divine spouse,” and they remained spinsters for the rest of their lives.
The system at the time eventually came to an end as the Odisha government took over management of the shrine from the Puri royal family through an Act in 1955. In the temple, there were two kinds of devadasis: dancers and vocalists. Parasmani was a musician who performed religious songs such as Geeta Govinda before the ruling deities’ bedtime. Kundamani adopted Parasmani, plus she started her practice essentially a devadasi at the age of 7.
According to the temple’s Record of Rights (RoR), there were around 25 devadasis in Puri approximately 100 years ago. In contrast, the Orissa Gazette of 1956 cites nine of them and eleven musicians at the temple. Only four survived in the temple until 1980: Harapriya, Kokilaprava, Parasmani, and Sashimi. While the others had perished, Parasmani, who had served at the temple for roughly 8 decades, proceeded to versify religious songs at the temple despite the devadasis’ denial of the recognition.
Previously, were assigned particular responsibilities at the Nabakalebara festival (rituals associated with changing wooden bodies of deities). They were widowed according to custom and re-dressed in vermilion when the new idols were worshipped.
This article is curated by Prittle Prattle News.
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