Basava Jayanti is a Hindu festival that is celebrated on the third day of Shukla Paksha in the month of Vaisakha. The occasion marks the birth anniversary of the 12th-century poet-philosopher Mahatma Basaveshwar, also known as Basava. He was a well-known saint in the Shaivism Bhakti Movement, a statesman and a social reformer who worked incessantly to spread awareness about social issues among the general public through his poetry and writing. In the Gregorian Calendar, Basava Jayanti 2022 falls on Tuesday, 3rd May. Basava Jayanti is majorly celebrated in the South Indian state of Karnataka by the Lingayat as Mahatma Basaveshwar was the founding saint of the Lingayat sect.  His birthday is considered the commencement of a new age, which is called the Basavanna era or the Basaveshwar era. Let's get into detail as to who are Lingayats, what are their principles and how Basava Jayanthi is celebrated. May 2022 Holidays Calendar With Major Festivals & Events: Eid ul-Fitr, Akshaya Tritiya, Mother's Day, Buddha Purnima; Check Date Sheet of All Important Dates And Indian Bank Holidays for The Month.

Lingayatism History And Basava Jayanti Celebration

Basava Jayanti is primarily celebrated to honour the Basavanna, who revived Lingayatism or Veera Saivism. Lingayatism is a Hindu denomination which beliefs in Lord Shiv as their supreme God. The idea of the Hindu sect is a contemporary sub-tradition dedicated to Basava's original thought which emphasizes qualified monism and rejects any form of social discrimination including the caste system. Veera Saivism also doesn't believe in the authority of Vedas and Puranas. Basava was an ardent follower of Shaivism who introduced the practice of wearing the Ishtalinga necklace which symbolizes Lord Shiva, among Lingayats and initiated new laws that freed all the men and women from gender and class discrimination.

Born in 1105 CE in Karnataka, Basava's major Lingayat works include Vachana such as the Shat-sthala-vachana, Kala-jnana-vachana, Mantra-gopya, Ghatachakra-vachana and Raja-yoga-vachana. Basava Jayanti is also celebrated in Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The celebration of Basava Jayanthi involves immense jubilation with colourful parades, seminars and workshops educating people about Basava's philosophy about the society.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 02, 2022 11:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).