Lingayatism is a distinct Shaivite religious tradition that arose in the Kannada-speaking region of what is now Karnataka. At its heart stands exclusive devotion to Shiva as the supreme, formless reality, symbolized by the personal ishtalinga that each devotee wears on the body. This small linga becomes a constant reminder that the body itself is a temple of Shiva, rendering external intermediaries and elaborate ritual structures secondary. The tradition emphasizes direct spiritual experience, inner purity, and a life in which work itself is treated as worship. Its teachings are preserved and expressed in vachanas, short, powerful poetic sayings composed in the vernacular rather than in Sanskrit.

Historically, Lingayatism took shape in the 12th century under the leadership of Basava (Basavanna), a philosopher, social reformer, and minister in the court of King Bijjala of the Kalachuri dynasty at Kalyana. Around this figure gathered a community of sharanas, such as Akka Mahadevi and Allama Prabhu, who sought to reorient religious life away from rigid hierarchy and toward direct devotion. They established the Anubhava Mantapa, often described as a kind of spiritual forum or parliament, where seekers from varied backgrounds could reflect together on religious and social questions. This setting allowed the movement to articulate a vision in which every person, regardless of birth, could relate to Shiva through the personal linga while living an engaged householder’s life.

The reformist thrust of Lingayatism is inseparable from its devotional core. It rejects caste hierarchies, ritual pollution, and the exclusive authority of Brahmin priests, insisting that no birth-based status can obstruct a sincere relationship with Shiva. Temple-centered ritualism and complex Vedic ceremonies are set aside in favor of simple, heartfelt worship through the ishtalinga and ethical conduct in daily life. The movement also challenges entrenched social norms by affirming gender equality and questioning practices such as child marriage, while supporting possibilities like widow remarriage. In this way, devotion to Shiva becomes not only an inward spiritual path but also a force for reshaping social relations.

Within this tradition, spiritual practice is not divorced from ordinary responsibilities but woven into them. Concepts such as work as worship and community sharing express the conviction that serving others and earning a livelihood honestly can themselves be offerings to Shiva. The communal dimension, often described through ideals of mutual support and shared responsibility, reinforces the sense that spiritual growth and social justice are intertwined. Lingayatism thus stands as a Shaivite path in which the intimate, personal bond with the divine and the quest for a more just social order are two sides of the same spiritual vision.