Renowned philosopher Basaveshwara: Basava Jayanti 2022
Recently, the birth anniversary of the 12th century poet-philosopher and the founder of Lingayat religion, Saint Lord Basavanna was celebrated.
Basavanna: Thoughts and Contribution
Basavanna, a twelfth-century philosopher, politician, Kannada poet and social reformer, was a contemporary of the Kalachuri-dynasty king Bijjala I in Karnataka.
Basavanna’s poems are called ‘Vachanaas’, through which he spread awareness in the society.
Basavanna denounced gender or social discrimination, superstitions and customs. He started new public institutions such as the Anubhav Mantapa (or, the Spiritual Anubhav Bhavan).
He as a leader led a new Bhakti movement called ‘Virashaivas’ (devout worshipers of Lord Shiva). The movement has its roots in the Tamil Bhakti movement, especially the Shaiva Nayanar traditions, which were prevalent during the seventh to the eleventh centuries.
Basava denounced worship and rituals in temples led by Brahmins, emphasizing devotional worship, and instead preaching direct worship of Shiva by personally holding small lingams symbolically.
The ‘Sharan Movement’ led by Basavanna attracted people of all castes, and like most branches of the Bhakti movement, composed literature in the form of ‘Vachan’, in which the spiritual world of the saints of the Veerashaiva sect description is available.
Basavanna’s ‘Sharan Movement’ was a very radical reform movement according to the times.
Source – The Hindu
