Basavaprabhu Lakhmagouda Patil, a 77-year-old advocate from Athani in Karnataka’s Belgaum district, has spent over three many years working to eradicate the devadasi system and rehabilitate girls trapped within the follow. Born in 1946 right into a Lingayat household in Mallabadi village, Patil witnessed social discrimination from an early age. His father owned 135 acres of farmland and served as village headman, however practised untouchability. These early experiences formed Patil’s dedication to social reform.
The turning level got here within the early Eighties when social scientist Sankara Jogan delivered a lecture at an Athani school, revealing that “each second prostitute in Bombay’s red-light space comes from Athani.” “This assertion prompted me to desert my authorized follow and dedicate myself to addressing the devadasi system,” he recalled.
In 1985, Patil established Vimochana Devadasi Punarwasati Sangha, an organisation targeted on combating the devadasi custom and rehabilitating affected girls.
The devadasi system includes dedicating ladies from lower-caste households to deities, after which they can’t marry and sometimes find yourself in prostitution.
Vimochana’s social interventions
Vimochana organised its first intervention in Kokatnur village, arranging marriages for devadasis keen to interrupt custom. Solely two of 5 girls confirmed up for the ceremony, however it marked the start of systematic efforts to supply alternate options to the follow. The organisation’s most vital achievement has been its residential faculty, established in 1990. Beginning with 50 college students in Patil’s ancestral house in Mallabadi, the college initially confronted resistance from neighbours who objected to educating youngsters of devadasis. The establishment has since educated over 700 youngsters, with greater than 300 graduates now married and built-in into mainstream society.
The Christian Kids’s Fund of America supplied essential funding after Patil carried out a complete survey of devadasi youngsters throughout 73 villages in Athani taluk.
The organisation presently operates with an annual funds of roughly Rs 50 lakh from worldwide donors. Vimochana’s rehabilitation programmes embrace vocational coaching in garment making, handloom weaving, and cord manufacturing. The organisation runs coaching centres the place former devadasis earn Rs 50 whereas studying new expertise. Upon completion, contributors obtain stitching machines or looms to ascertain impartial livelihoods.
The organisation has additionally facilitated 143 devadasi marriages and established cooperative societies. At Athani, a devadasi-run cooperative society began in 1992 continues to generate earnings for its members.
Patil’s work additionally confronted important social opposition. In 1991, he acquired a postcard addressed to “B.L. Patil the whore’s son,” reflecting group hostility. His household urged him to desert the work, however religious steerage from Siddalinga Mahaswamigalu inspired him to proceed.
Private sacrifices have been appreciable. Patil gave up his authorized profession and positions in a number of cooperatives. His spouse Shanta manages their 85-acre farm single-handedly, offering free rations for varsity youngsters. When their new child twins died in 1980, Patil instantly attended to college students searching for examination payment help.
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Govt intervenes in devadasi challenge
Additional to his efforts, in August 2025, the Karnataka State Cupboard additionally accredited the transformative and complete mannequin laws for the Karnataka Devadasi (Prevention, Prohibition, Redress and Rehabilitation) Act, 2025 submitted by the Centre for the Examine of Social Inclusion on the Nationwide Legislation Faculty of India College (NLSIU), Bengaluru. Karnataka. This laws aspires to transcend reduction – to recognition, justice, accountability, and institutional transformation – laying the ultimate basis for the eradication of the Devadasi system in Karnataka.
The Invoice ensures time-bound entry to healthcare, housing, training, pensions, and livelihoods, whereas defending youngsters’s rights to paternal identification and inheritance. It promotes group governance by empowering Devadasi girls and youth in decision-making and makes use of accessible, rights-based language modeled on RTI ideas to make sure grassroots usability and accountability.