I am Hajamma. I am born into the Madiga community, one of the Dalit communities in India.

We follow the ritual of dedicating girls to Goddess Ellamma in our community. The girl so dedicated is ritually a Goddess, but lives life lesser than a woman, lesser than other Dalits and any human being. My story is the story of thousands of Dalit women dedicated as 'devadasi/jogini'-the handmade of Gods.

I joined the village school, through the interest of a local Dalit teacher and dropped out in Grade VI.

When I was 11 years old and had not attained puberty, all of sudden, for reasons unknown to me, there was discussion of dedicating me a Jogini. Within a week everything was decided and arranged. The landlord extended Rs.5000 towards expenses.

The marriage of Jogini is a formality. It does not matter whom she is married to. It is a passage allow her to be used by anyone for sexual enjoyment. The man who visit her, however has no obligation either to her or her children. He does not acknowledge the children and refuse to recognize them as his children. ...

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