International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 05 Issue-01 January 2018 Lingayatism :- A Historical Study Dr. Rakesh Kumar Department of History Abstract: Lingayatism was an important Maritontadarya [16th Century] moment in 12th century. It was started by (Sanskrit language) Basava in Karnataka. It was socio religious Poet Harihara (Hampe) 1195 A.D. in nature. It was against caste system. (Kannada Poet) Basava rejected caste system.He also GubbiyaMallanaraya-GururajCharite opposed child marriage, alcoholism and (1650 A.D., Kannada language) other evils.Vachans and other sources play Chamarasa-PrabhulingaLeela (1400 an important role to reconstruct the history Kannada language) of lingayatism. As far as the life of Basava is Keywords:-Lingayatism, Basawa, Caste, concerned, he was a native of Bagevadi in Child Marriage, History. present Karnataka. he was the son of Introduction: Lingayatism emerged as a Madiraja. His mother was Madalamba. He great force in the sphere of religion in belong to Brahmin caste by birth. Bladeva Karnataka in 12th century. There are many his maternal uncle was a minister in the historical evidence which clarify Lingayath court of king Bijjala. Basava was also religion was founded by Guru Basareshwara. appointed as a minister in the court of Bijjala. They are as following given below:- But there are multiple views about his job. In PalkurikeSomnath (1200 A.D., in the one view, when his uncle fell sick and was Telgu language) bedridden, his responsibilities were Mayidevaaprabhu (Magge) [1400, transferred to Basava. Kannada Poet] In another view, Basava successfully ChaturmukhaBommarasa [1500 A.D., deciphered an inscription that disclosed the Kannada Poet] location of treasure. On this incident, king VirupakshPandit – Bijjal was very happy and appointed as his ChannabasavaPurana [1585 A.D. minister in his Court. Kannada language] According to BasavaPurana, when Gururaj [15th Century] (Sanskrit Basava assumed power, he distributed gift to Language) the devotees of Lord Shiva. the other people Keladi‟sBasavaraj (Sanskrit language) who were left out, began angry with Basava. Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 2385 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 05 Issue-01 January 2018 They began instigating the king who letter method was monotheistic and free of Temple punished to devotees of Lord Shiva cruelly. worship which was started by Guru This incident had a deep effect on Basava. Basaveshawara. An important incident also happened during The Lingayat movement was not only his initiation ceremony (holy thread religious but also social in nature. It had a ceremony of Brahmins). He opposed it. He great impact on society in Karnataka. was only of 8 years. Lingayatism totally opposed caste system There are some Scholars who prevalent in Hindu society. It rejected this assessed that lingayatism was not caste system completely. Guru Basaveshwara beforeBasava. As professor Sanyamad wrote accepted the people from all castes in his new a book named “BasavannanavaruLingayat religion. He proclaimed his kinship with Dharma Samsthapakaru” in which he clearly lower and oppressed caste and rejection of mentioned Basava was the founder of Brahmin by birth. Shiva is the chief God of lingayatism. Panchcharyas or not the ones this religion Basava announced, “A person who founded lingayatism, with historical who wearsLinga of Shiva is well-borne”. roots appeared in the book “History and God Shiva is all. All people are part of God Philosophy of lingayat religion” by M.R. Shiva. So any kind of descrimination could Sakhare, existence of the lingayatism is not at not be accepted because God Shiva had made all found in any part of India or in book of all people equal. any language before 12 century. So he came To reject the caste system at that time to the conclusion that Basava was the founder when this system was very rigid was a great of lingayatism. social reform. If we see it from the point of Another scholar P.B. Desai mentioned humanity is very appreciable. The radicalism in his book “Basaveshwara and his times” by off early moment culminated in a marriage indicating various sources that Basaveshwara between a formerly untouchable boy and a was the founder of the lingayat religion. formerly Brahmin girl, which the orthodox There are other books which mentioned that section of society condemned and opposed. Guru Basaveshwara founded Lingayatismin The fathers of both were sentenced to death Karnataka state. Basava started different kind by king and dragged by an elephant through of worship method. Lingayatism was also the streets of town, which led to a full- called Virashairism. Lingayats substituted a fledged revolt by the oppressed and lower Linga image one on the body and caste people assassinated the king Bijjala; the symbolising God Shiva. Due to this image, orthodox section was finally victorious and they were called lingayats. lingayat‟s worship the movement expelled from the kingdom. Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 2386 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 05 Issue-01 January 2018 Guru Basaveshwara was a great social Hindu Caste system. It tried to break all reformer. Heraised voice against some other barriers which had created hurdle in Hindu social evils also. Basava opposed child religion and Hindu Society. marriage. Basava was in the favour of References: remarriage of widows. He also opposed [1] Lingayatha Dharma : alcoholism. OnduAdhyayana, by Hiremallur K. Ishwaran: „Jangam‟ is also a category of monks Published by PriyadarshiniPrakashana, in lingayat religion who give their preaching [2] A History of Indian Philosophy By by wandering from one place to another. SurendranathDasgupta So we see that Guru Basaveshwara [3] Book: Basaveshwara and his times was a great religious and social reformer in a by: Dr. P.B. Desai, Published by Kannada reason of Karnataka. Due to him, Research Institute, Karnatak University, Lingayatism become a great moment in Dharwad 1968. Karnataka in 12 century [4] Book: History And Philosophy of Sources of Lingayatism: To reconstruct Lingayat Religion by : M.R. Sakhare, historical context, origin and development of Publisher : Prasaranga Karnataka lingayatism, one will need to draw up on [5] Seeking Begumpura: The Social various sources. In these sources, we can Vision of Anticaste Intellectuals, by Gail mention inscriptions, the vachnas, folk Omvedt, Navayana 2008 literature, post Basava development, regale [6] Seeking Begampura: The social literature, the lingayat and Jain Puranas, Vision of Anticaste Intellectuals, by Gail doctrinal and philosophical works. By Omvedt, Navayana 2008, Pages 48-51 comparative study of these sources, we can [7] Narasimhacharya, R (1988) {1988}. easily reconstruct the history of Lingayatism. History of Kannada Literature. New Delhi: The Arjunavada inscription is very important Penguin Books. ISBN 81-206-0303-6 from the point of view of Lingayatism. The [8] Sastri, Nilakanta K.A. (2002) {1955}. vachana literature is very important source. A history of South India from prehistoric Conclusion: In conclusion, we can say that times to the fall of Vijayanagar. New Delhi: Lingayatism, Which was founded by Guru Indian Branch, Oxford University Press. Basaveshawaraa great socio-religious ISBN 0-19-560686-8. movement. It left deep impact on the society [9] Rice, Edward P (1982) [1921]. A of Karnataka. It tried to demolish the rotten History of Kannada Literature. New Delhi: structure of Hindu religion and society. It Asian Educational Services, Oxford produced a challenge before Brahmanism and University Press. Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 2387 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 05 Issue-01 January 2018 [10] SadhaktaCharitra Kannada. PM [11] Ishwaran, K.1992. Speaking of Giriraju. Basava: Lingayat religion and culture in a. https://openlibrary,org/ South Asia. Boulder, Colo: Westview Press. works/OL11062327W/Girirajanu_serisida_sa [12] Farquhar, J.N. 1967. An outline of the dbhakta_caritrya religious literature of India. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. 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