In 2008, journalist Arun Ezhuthachan decided to investigate whether the banned dance bars of Mangaluru would continue illegally. What he stumbled upon, however, was an intricate web of old beliefs and new-age oppression – the modern devadasi. Young girls were dedicated to temples, only to end up as mistresses of upper-caste men and abandoned once they were older. Speaking to locals, NGOs and the devadasis themselves, Arun began to follow the whispered clues to these forsaken women in all corners of India.

In rural Karnataka, he meets devadasis clinging to their faith despite intense exploitation; in Kolkata, daughters sold into sex work by their families find no way out; in Vrindavan, ostracized widows congregate to serve God, only to encounter devious predators; and in Puri, the last surviving devadasi reminisces about her time serving Lord Jagannath.

Revealing how the oppression of women continues to be veiled by religion, this explosive journalistic account brings to light an India ridden with casteism, patriarchy and abject poverty. The heart-wrenching stories and shocking revelations of Sacred Sins will leave you dismayed, appalled and blazing for change. Join us at Atta Galatta on 11th May, Saturday, at 4 PM for a discussion with the authors of this Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award Winner.

Arun Ezhuthachan joined Malayala Manorama daily in 2005 and currently working as the Chief Reporter, Malayala Manorama, Trissur. His debut work Visudhapapangalude India (Beyond Beliefs) received the Kerala Sahitya Akademy award for the best travelogue in 2019. Has received the Media Fellowship of National Foundation for India for the study on the social conditions of devadasis.  Has received the fellowship of Media Academy on the topic ‘Media and Gender’. 

Meera Gopinath has always worked in roles where she could mould language - whether it was Anchoring, Travel journalism, Technical writing, Content writing or Teaching. Translation, with its inherent challenges, is something she enjoys dabbling in, and she has translated books, stories and scripts. Translating 'Sacred Sins' was a surreal experience which awakened in her a deep empathy for these invisible people and their lives. She believes that stories such as these, chronicled with empathy yet objectivity, need to reach a much wider audience. Meera lives in Bangalore with her husband and children. She teaches Language and Literature at an educational institution in Bangalore.