On the threshold of the inner sanctum, throngs of devotees strain for a glimpse of the unadorned deity. No photographs are permitted of abhishek, the "bathing of the deity" ritual.

Surrounding the temple, harijan families, evoking pioneers from the wild west with their covered bullock carts, huddle around fires, preparing the evening meal.

Silhoutted against the Karnataka sky, hirijans flock in their bullock-driven covered wagons to the festivel of "The Mother" Yellama.

The major occupations here are farming and cattle rearing, but the lull is breached by the annual Yellamma festival when hundreds of thousands of people gather at the tiny village of Saundatti in a rare blitzkrieg of passion and ritual. A harijan family travelling in their bullock carts on the way to the festival. Karnataka, India.

A clay image of Renuka-Yellamma. The private, unadorned image of Yellamma within the inner sanctum is nothing like this mass-produced poster image. Karnataka; India.

Female devotees rolled in the red earthen mud. Saundatti, Karnataka, India.

Female devotees rolled in the red earthen mud.

Each year, approximately 3,00 girls are brought to the festival of Yellama to be dedicated as "the slaves of the goddess". They are then sacred , unable to marry a mere mortal and often destined for a life on the streets.

Yellamma's devotees taking spiritual bath.

Yellamma's devotees taking spiritual bath.

Devotes prostrating Goddess yallama.

Overwhelmed with the spirit of Yellamma which enters her body, a devotee collapses in a state of ecstatic trance. Karnataka; India

A devadasi with the trademark matted cobra-like hair. Saundatti, Karnataka, India.

Each year in January, tyhousand of of poor, low-caste farmers go on pilgrimage to the temple of Goddess Yellama for her annual festival. Snaking line of devotees waiting eagerly for the glimpse of 600-year- old black-faced stone idol housed in the inner sanctum of the temple.

Girls are not exclusively dedicated to the goddess. Often sons of devdasis are offered to the goddess and castrated to become eunuchs-hijras.

Poor sharecroppers, the harijans, the untouchable Dalits of Karnataka, are essential labourers for the harvesting of huge plantations of sugarcane and cotton. For over a thousand years they have been dedicating their daughters to the goddess Yellamma on the full moon night in January. Saundatti, Karnataka; India.

Girl selling sweets to the pilgrims. Saundatti, Karnataka; India.

Each year, approximately 3,000 girls are brought to the festival of Yellama to be dedicated as "slaves of the Goddess." They are then sacred, unable to marry a mere mortal, and often destined for a life on the streets. Saundatti, Karnataka; India.

A devdasi with the trademark matted cobra-like hair.

A terrified child, about to be dedicated to the Goddess. Each year, an estimated 3,000 young girls are brought to the festival of Yellama to be dedicated as Devadasis, or `handmaidens of the Goddess. Saundatti, Karnataka, India. The Devadasi inhabit the border of two of India’s most progressive states: Maharastra and Karnataka. Despite the legal banning of dedication every year over 5,000 girls continue to be dedicated tot he goddess Yellamma. On the night of the full moon in January, thousands of young girls join in a religious procession to the temple for goddess Yellamma in a remote village of Karnataka. After being dedicated, they are auctioned to the highest bidder and enter the world of prostitution.

Each year, approximately 3,00 girls are brought to the festival of Yellama to be dedicated as "the slaves of the goddess". They are then sacred , unable to marry a mere mortal and often destined for a life on the streets.

A senior Devadasi, showing her dreadlock. Saundatti, Karnataka; India.

The annual festival to goddess Yellama at the Devadasi temple in Karnataka, India.

The red and white "marriage" beads, the sign of accomplisheddedication, worn by Devadasis. Saundatti, Karnataka; India.

Covered in purifying neem leaves, this woman had been gravely ill. Her family came to the Yellamma shrine last year and prayed for the deity to spare her life. In penance and thanks for their answered prayers, she wears the neem leaves and walks toward the central shrine. Saundatti, Karnataka, India.