Virasaivism is a religious movement of Hinduism in India. The adherents are known as Veerashaivas, or more commonly Lingayats. This important sect of Hinduism represents a reform movement attributed to Basavanna in the 12th century. Basavanna lived and taught in what is now Karnataka State. Some believers believe that Basavanna is an incarnation of Nandi, Shiva's greatest devotee. Nandi serves Shiva perpetually as Garuda does for Vishnu.
Lingayats believe in a monotheistic world where Shiva is the supreme deity. They worship Shiva as a lingam. Additionally, Lingayats wear the lingam in a similar way as Christians wear the crucifix. Basavanna attempted to rid society of caste distinctions, although these can be found to a degree in modern Lingayats. Many of the reforms which Basavanna pushed for would be later adopted by Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda, and others. Also, the Lingayats favor gender equality and in fact, have women gurus.
However, unlike practically all Hindus, Lingayats reject the Vedas but rather focus more on the Hindu Agamas, specically, the Shaivite Agamas. Some Lingayats view the Vedas to be polytheistic in nature while the Agamas are strictly monotheistic and devotional in nature.
The term Virasaiva is derived from vira (heroic), and saiva (worshipper of Siva). The term Lingayat is derived from the lingam, or the abstract symbol of Shiva in which God is worshipped without form.
The Lingayats continue to be strong in Karnataka, and play an important role in social and cultural life in the state.
The bodies of men and women are temples of the god and thus all are equal, so Virashaivism attempted to abolish caste.
At the heart of Virashaivism is the opposition between sthavara, the standing, and jangama, the moving.
Basava is thought by some scholars to be the founder of Virashaivism but the books in Kannada and Sanskrit on Virashaivism do not name Basava as the founder.
After Basava, the Virashaivism lost its main principle of abolition of tribal and gender distinctions and divided into various castes and sub-castes, e.g., Budigejangam, Bedajangam, Malajangam, Madigajangam, Urajangam, Ganayatajangam, Shivajangam, Itamukkalajangam, Pirikijangam, Lingabalija, Tamballa, etc.
Telugu kings lost interest in Virashaivism and the loss of the kings’ support resulted in deterioation of the religion.
The tribal distinctions couldn’t be routed out entirely and various tribes and castes within Virashaivism claimed superiority over their non-Virashaiva counterparts and became divided causing further proliferation of castes/tribes.
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