Thread of Resilience: A Socio-Ethical Analysis of Sudha Murty’s Two-Decade Crusade against the Devadasi Pratha in Three Thousand Stitches

Abstract

This research paper explores the ethnographic and philanthropic dimensions of Sudha Murty’s work, Three Thousand Stitches. It specifically investigates the titular essay, which documents Murty's 20-year journey to rehabilitate 3,000 Devadasis in Karnataka. By employing a lens of Social Constructivism and the Ethics of Care, this study examines how Murty navigated systemic religious dogma and social inertia. The paper argues that her "relentless effort" serves as a pedagogical model for social change, moving beyond mere charity toward sustainable liberation and financial autonomy. It further analyzes the semiotic significance of the quilt presented to her, viewing it as a collective subaltern archive of reclaimed dignity