After this, the women were sold into sex work, 'devoting themselves to a life of service to the goddess'.The ritual was well-established by the 10th century CE.In the case of those who marry immediately, however, when the time for marriage comes, their marriage should be performed after initiating them in some manner.
Shivaji's mother, Jijabai, was queen regent because of her ability as a warrior and an administrator. In South India, many women administered villages, towns, and divisions, and ushered in new social and religious institutions.Traditions such as Sati, Jauhar, and Devadasi among some communities have been banned and are largely defunct in modern India.However, some instances of these practices are still found in remote parts of India.Evidently such practice took place during the Islamic invasions of India.Devadasi is often misunderstood as religious practice. Women were "married" to a deity or temple, disallowing them from ever marrying a mortal.