Lingayat

Lingayatism, also called Lingayat or Veerashaiva Lingayat, is a Hindu religious tradition that originated in the 12th century in present-day Karnataka, during the reform movement led by Basavanna and the Sharanas. It emphasizes devotion to the Ishtalinga, a personal linga worn as a pendant, and the worship of Shiva. Central to its ethics are social equality, rejection of caste-based privileges, and opposition to ritual dominance by Brahmins. The movement produced a substantial body of devotional poetry known as vachana literature, written by Basava, Allama Prabhu, Akka Mahadevi and other saints.

Followers are called Lingayats; they perform Ishtalinga puja and participate in congregational practices at temples and mutts. An important feature is the installation of an Ishtalinga during initiation, symbolizing a personal contact with the divine. The movement fostered early institutionalized forums such as the Anubhava Mantapa, a ground for spiritual, philosophical and social debate that contributed to Kannada literature and thought.

Today Lingayats form a major religious community in Karnataka and are also present in adjacent states and in diaspora communities. In modern discourse, Lingayats are often described as a Hindu denomination or a distinct religious tradition; the question of whether Lingayats constitute a separate religion or a sect within Hinduism has been the subject of debate and varies by source and over time.

They have influenced social reform, education, and the development of Kannada language and culture, and continue to maintain mutts, temples, and festivals such as Basava Jayanthi.