தேவடியாள்

Etymology
, translates to 'divine servant' or 'devotee of the gods.' Referring to the women who underwent the Hindu religious practice of becoming a devadasi ("married" to a deity) in olden days. In addition to taking care of the temple, they were taught Bharatanatyam and other classical Indian arts, and enjoyed high social status. In later days they were forced to get involved into sex work and be "pleasers" for the rich aristocrats and became synonymous with harlots and prostitutes. Cognate with 🇨🇬

Noun

 * 1) prostitute, adulteress, harlot
 * 2)  devadasi
 * 1)  devadasi