Kathmandu

Deuki system — an ancient custom in which a young girl is offered to the temple in the name of religion, is practised in western and far western regions of Nepal. It is still prevalent, mostly in districts like Baitadi, Kanchanpur, Dadeldhura, Doti and Bajura, but these days with a changed name — devi system.

A documentary that revolves around the system, Devaki In Search of Devi was screened at City Max, Baghbazaar on May 17. It depicts how wealthier families bought girls from poor families and offered them to temples. It is believed that one’s wish gets fulfilled if a person offers deuki to a temple.

The 45-minute-long documentary, made after around five years of research, tells how the deuki system started from Karnataka of India and spread to Nepal. In the 14th Century, king Naagi Malla of the Doti state offered deuki (girl) and deuko (boy) in the local Kalpaleki Kedar temple. The price of a deuki was Re 1 then, now people pay up to Rs 700,000 for a deuki. The deuko system is no more practised. Though the government has made strong laws against exploitation, the devi system is still prevalent, and girls are suffering physically

and mentally, the documentary reveals.

Setu Devi, who stays in Devmandu temple, became devi at the age of five. “Some people carried me from my home and left me at the temple. They gave me food, clothes, and other things and said that my father gave me those things,” she recalls adding, “I was young then. When I knew the reality, it was too late,” Setu Devi, now in her 40s, shares in the documentary.

Mostly people from Kanari, Thakuri and Bista castes are practising this system, the documentary reveals. They buy young girls and leave them in the temple at midnight, with foli (water pot) on the girls’ head. Nowadays, families who cannot afford to buy girls, buy the statue of devi with foli.

A devi is not allowed to marry. The family that buys the young girl has to look after her as their daughter. But unfortunately many are not taken care of, and such girls are sexually abused and live a miserable life. The documentary also features a woman, who was forcefully taken away from her family and offered to a temple as a devi. She got pregnant at age 18 from a 44-year-old married man with Chand surname. Now in her middle age, she lives with her married daughter.

Like her, many women who are devi, live in Melauli of Baitadi, but are unwilling to share their stories before the camera. So, it was not an easy job for director/researcher/producer Devaki Bista to shoot the documentary.

“Our life was in danger so many times as people supporting this system threatened us. We had to hide the camera to feature them,” Bista recalls.

Bringing light to a malpractice of society is good thing yet the documentary lacks in certain aspects. Though the historical details are given comprehensively, it does not provide much information about the young girls who are kept as devi at present.

And there are technical flaws — some scenes are blurred and shaky, and the director claims, “It is because the camera had to be hidden.”