Lingayatism (Veerashaivism)

The Creed Archive Dialogues · Oct 1, 2026 · 35m

In twelfth-century southern India, a new vision of spiritual equality began to ripple through society. Imagine a space where poets, mystics, and workers—men and women—could gather to question old hierarchies, defy ritual boundaries, and speak in the language of the people. This is the story of Lingayatism’s beginnings, where reform met daily life.The heartland of this movement was Kalyana, a bustling town in what is now Karnataka. It was a time of upheaval and possibility. The Kalachuri dynasty—under Bijjala the Second—held sway. Into this world stepped Basava, remembered as a social reformer…