Lingayats

Lingayats are a religious community in India, predominantly Kannada-speaking and traditionally associated with Basava’s 12th-century teachings. Many follow a distinct devotional tradition centered on Shiva and the personal linga.

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Basava: A 12th-century poet, philosopher, and social reformer associated with the founding of the Lingayat tradition. His teachings and leadership are the tradition’s defining historical reference point.
Kalyana: A historic city in present-day Karnataka, known in the 12th century as a center of political and religious activity. Basava’s reforming circle is traditionally associated with Kalyana.
Lingayat marriage: Marriage customs practiced by Lingayat communities, shaped by regional and family traditions. Marriage rites express community identity while varying across Lingayat groups.
Caste in India: A system of social stratification shaped by inherited status, endogamy, and historically unequal access to resources. Early Lingayat teachings challenged caste hierarchy, while caste identities remain debated within the community.
Ishtalinga: A small linga worn or carried as a personal object of devotion to Shiva. Its daily worship gives Lingayat devotion a distinctive personal focus.
Bijjala II: A 12th-century Kalachuri ruler who governed from Kalyana during Basava’s lifetime. His court provides the political setting for accounts of Basava’s public career.
Lingayat burial practices: Funerary customs among Lingayats, commonly involving burial rather than cremation. Burial is a distinctive practice often connected with Lingayat understandings of death and liberation.
Karnataka Lingayat movement: A modern political and social movement seeking recognition of Lingayats as a distinct religious community. Its campaigns bring questions of religious classification and political representation into public debate.
Vachana literature: A body of short Kannada prose-poems, especially associated with 12th-century Virashaiva poets. Vachanas preserve teachings attributed to Basava and other early community figures.
Karnataka: A state in southwestern India where Kannada is the principal language. The community’s historical heartland and language are closely associated with Karnataka.