Indian classical is revered and celebrated throughout the world. However, the world of classical dance is selectively exclusionary. These practices seem insidious and deeply rooted in the history of Indian Classical dance. The dance world is haunted by the event of discarding the devdasi. Through this paper, we look at the impact on the psyche of the modern day dancer, whilst historically contextualising the caste based violence on devdasi practices. This paper demonstrates how classical dance in contemporary practices is rooted in a violent history of thievery and the obliteration of the devdasi. Using the psychoanalytic theory of abjection and disavowal, this work attempts to throw light on how these psychological processes maintain the power hierarchies in the world of Indian classical dance.