The Tamil Nadu Devadasis (Prevention of Dedication) Act, 1947

(1) This Act may be called the Tamil Nadu Devadasis (Prevention of Dedication) Act, 1947.

In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context- (a) "dedication " means the performance of any ceremony, by whatever name called, by which a woman is dedicated to the service of a Hindu deity; idol, object of worship, temple or other religious institution, and includes 'pottukattu ', 'gajyepuja', 'nzrrdri', and dancing by 'Rumbhaharathy' ; (b) " devadasi " means any woman so dedicated ; (c) " woman " means a female of any age.

(1) The dedication of awomtu.1 as a devadasi, whether before or after the conlinencement of this Act and whether she has consented to such dedication or not, is hereby declared unlawful and void ; and any woman so dedicated shall not thereby be deemed to have become incapable of entering into a valid marriage. Nothing contained in this sub-section shall be deemed to affect the operation of section 34 of the Madras Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1951 or the rights to which a devadasi is entitled under that section. (2) Any custom or usage prevailing in any Hindu community such as the Bogum, Kalavanthula, Sani, Nagavasulu, Devadasi and Kurmapulu, that a womau. of that com~nunity who gives or es part in any melam (nautch), dancing or music per ormance in the course of any procesaion or otherwise is thereby regarded as having adopted a life of prostitution and becomes incapable of entering into a valid marriage and the performance of any ceremony or act in accordance with any such custom or usage, whether beforz or after the commencement of this Act and whetlier the woman concerned has consented to such perforinance or not, are her&y declared unlawful and void. (3) Dancing by a woman, with or without kumblzaharatlty, in tlie precincts of any temple or other religious institution, or in :my procession of n Hindu deity, idol or object of warship ilistall~d in any such tcmple or instItut:on or at any l'es~ival or ceremony hcld in respect of suc11 n deity, idol or ol~jrct of worship, is hercby declared unlawful.

(1 ) Ally pcrscn ilavlng :ittailled the age of pcaalty. sixteen y1:ut.s who after the cotnnlcncement of this Act perform\, permits. ~alies p:r~.L in, or alxts tlic per- f < ) ~ permance of' an)* ceremony or act for dcdic;lting a woman ns a ticvadasi or any ccremony or act or the nature refcrrcd to in section 3, sub-sect'ion (2), shall be punishable with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with fine which may extend to Rs. 500, or with both. Explanation.-The person referred to in this sec- tion shall include the woman in respect of whom such ceremony or act is performed. (2) Any person having attzined the age of six- teen years who dances in contravention of the pro- visions of section 3, sub-section (3), or who abets dancing in contravention of the said provisions, shall be punishable with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with fine which may extend to Rs. 500, or with both.

No Court inferior to that of a Presidency Magistrate* or a Magistrate of the First Class* shall inquire into or try any offence punishable under section 4.