Religion / idea · religion

Lingayatism

12th century · 12th century · Also known as Virashaivism, Lingayat

Lingayatism, also called Virashaivism, is a Shaiva devotional tradition founded in 12th-century Karnataka around Basava, a minister at the Kalachuri court of Kalyani. It rejected caste hierarchy, temple ritual and Brahmin priesthood, and its followers wear a small linga as a sign of personal devotion to Shiva. Its vachana poems are a major part of Kannada literature, and Lingayats are a large community in Karnataka today.

Lingayatism
Image: Department of Kannada and Culture, Government of Karnataka · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 3 profiles

Western Chalukya EmpireDeclineHoysala EmpireSocioeconomyBhakti movementEvents, People, Outcomes, Summary

Mentioned in 5 state histories

Western Chalukya EmpireHoysala EmpireKalachuris of KalyaniKittur StateKingdom of Coorg

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Lingayatism. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/lingayatism
MLA
“Lingayatism.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/lingayatism. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Lingayatism.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/lingayatism.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Lingayatism’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/lingayatism (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻