Nityasumangali: Devadasi Tradition in South Asia [Hardcover]

Saskia Kersenboom (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1987

The functions and forms of the Devadasi tradition are also examined within the Temple Ritual. Data from Sanskrit Agamas, commentaries, Tamil Sources, informant's accounts and form the actual repertoire of the Devadasis have been woven into a coherent structure.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 226 pages
• Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass Pub; 1st edition (December 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 8120803302
• ISBN-13: 978-8120803305
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,637,243 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Devadasis, temple prostitutes or living goddesses?, December 2, 2004

By 

Victoria Truver "Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mandir ... (Riverside, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nityasumangali: Devadasi Tradition in South Asia (Hardcover)

This academic study is well researched and was the author's doctoral thesis. Like most doctoral thesis it is dry and does not make for interesting reading. While it was filled with many fascinating facts, I found that the text seemed disorganized.The author filled the pages with historical information which strayed from the topic of devadasis. While I believe the author's intent was to give the reader historical background information, I felt that much of this information would have been better served as part of a different publication. The author lived in India, learned Bharat Natyam dance, and gained first hand knowledge. While this information is conveyed in the author's bio, the text does not reflect it. I wish there was more human interest information for the fascinating topic of devadasis.