Ep 6: Why Devadasi?

As this series draws to a close, Yashoda looks at why the story of the devadasi is relevant even today. Prof. Sarkar takes us through the emergence of different Classical dances in India and how the undercurrents of devadasi tradition run through them. Yashoda reflects on her own attitude to 'her …

Ep 5: Nationalist period

As  “Her story of dance’ moves to the 19th century, Yashoda discusses how devadasis and their aesthetic representations were central to the National debate during India’s struggle for Independence.  We see how people, reform movements, acts, Christian missionaries and marriage all come play around …

Ep 4: Imperial influences

In this episode, Host Yashoda looks back at the how Imperial influences of the Islamic dynasties and colonisers found their way into the aesthetic representations of the Devadasis. It looks at the javali as an outcome of the zamindari patronage, a system that was established during the British rule…

Ep 3: Devadasi repertoire and Aesthetic Representation

In this episode, Yashoda takes us through some of Devadasi repertoire, its aesthetic representation and how that differs from that of Kuchipudi. It examines how the devadasi repertoire reflects the multiple contexts it traversed noting the influence of the Maratha courts of Tanjore, the English and…

Ep 2: Patronage and Caste

In this episode, Host Yashoda Thakore takes us through the Devadasi history in the Telugu speaking areas. Reflecting on the Kakatiya, and Nayaka times the questions of who the patrons for the art were, what were the different contexts in which the devadasi performed, the idea of devadasi as a caste…

Ep 1: The beginning

The first episode is the story of discovery, of reaching out, and the story of learning. Dancer, research, and a voice from the Kalvantulu community (hereditary dancer families from the Godavari region) Dr. Yashoda takes us through the idea of lineage and practice in the life of a devadasi weaving …

Trailer - Her Story of Dance

The Kalavantulu community women were the guardians of an art that has since been appropriated into what is today seen as mainstream classical dance in South India. In this podcast series, Yashoda Thakore, a dancer and a member of the Kalavantulu community, will be taking us on a voyage of discover…