Editing Devadasi (section)

==== Mahari Devadasi of Odisha ====
In the eastern state of [[Odisha]] Devadasis were known colloquially as [[Mahari dance|Maharis]] of the [[Jagannath Temple (Puri)|Jagannath temple complex]]. The term ''Devadasi'' referred to the women who danced inside the temple. Devadasi, or mahari, means "those great women who can control natural human impulses, their five senses and can submit themselves completely to God (Vachaspati)". Mahari is a contraction of ''Mahan Nari'', translating to, "the woman belonging to God". [[Caitanya Mahaprabhu|Chaitanya]] had defined Devadasis as ''Sebayatas'' who served God through dance and music. [[Pankaj Charan Das]], the oldest guru of [[Odissi]] classical dance and who comes from a Mahari family, defines Mahari as ''Maha Ripu-Ari'', one who conquers the six main ripus – enemies.<ref name="MHO">{{cite web|url=http://www.ukhap.nic.in/homepages/Appan/maharis.html|title=The Sacred & the Profane – The Conference &#124; Mahari of Odisha|access-date=8 January 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930103507/http://www.ukhap.nic.in/homepages/Appan/maharis.html|archive-date=30 September 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Unlike other parts of India, the Odia Mahari Devadasis were never sexually liberal and were expected to remain celibate upon becoming Devadasis. However, there are records of Odia Mahari Devadasi having relationships and children. It is said that the daughters of the Maharis of the Jagannath temple took to other professions such as nursing in the mid-20th century due to stigma attached to their inherent profession, as dance was frowned up during the colonial era.

The 1956 Orissa Gazette lists nine Devadasis and eleven temple musicians. By 1980, only four Devadasis were left – Harapriya, Kokilaprabha, Parashmani, and [[Sashimani|Shashimani]]. By 1998, only Shashimani and Parashmani were still alive. The daily ritualistic dance had stopped, although Shashimani and Parashmani served in a few of the yearly temple rituals such as ''Nabakalebara'', ''Nanda Utsava'', and ''Duara Paka'' during ''Bahuda Jatra''.<ref name="MHO"/> The last of the Devadasis, Shashimani, died on 19 March 2015, at the age of 92.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/24/world/asia/sashimani-devi-last-of-indias-jagannath-temple-ritual-dancers-dies-at-92.html?_r=0|title = Sashimani Devi, Last of India's Jagannath Temple Dancers, Dies at 92|date = 23 March 2015|website = The New York Times|last = Barry|first = Ellen}}</ref>