Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (TP)
Udupi, Sep 19: “The Lingayat religion is not a split from Sanatana Dharma. It is a religion that arose in opposition to caste and varna discrimination prevalent in society. Lingayat religion is not a part of Hindu or Sanatana Dharma; it is an independent faith,” stated Dr Basavalinga Pattadevaru of Bhalki Hiremath Sansthan.
Dr Basavalinga Pattadevaru, speaking after participating in a Vachana discussion programme held on Thursday September 18 at Udupi Town Hall, organized under the ‘Basava Samskruti Abhiyan’ campaign for college students and the public by the Lingayat Mathadhipati Union, said, “Lingayat is not a caste, it is a complete religion. Religion is one thing, caste is another. Caste is like darkness, while religion is like light. To dispel the darkness of caste, the light of religion is necessary.”
Shivananda Swamiji of Handigunda Math said, “Just like Sikhism, Jainism, and other minority religions are given constitutional recognition, we are demanding constitutional recognition for Lingayat religion as well. This is not a protest; this is our right. Lingayat is neither Hindu nor Sanatana Dharma. Lingayat is an independent religion. Basavanna is our religious teacher. Vachana literature is our scripture. The Basava Dharma or Lingayat Dharma given by Basavanna does not belong to any other religion.”
Dr Mahant Prabhu Swamiji of Belagavi Segunise coordinated the session.
Sri Shivananda Swamiji of Hulasuru Srimath, Sri Shantaveer Mahaswami of Hosadurga Kunchitiga Mahasamsthana Math, Gurubasava Pattadevaru of Bhalki Hiremath Sansthan, Sri Basavalinga Swamiji of Navalgund Gavimath Dharwad, Veerasidda Devaru of Kalaburagi Shanmukha Shivayogi Math, Veerabhadra Shastri of Raichur, Shivabasava Devaru of Belagavi, Basavaraja Devaru of Basavakalyan, and Basavananda Swamiji of Mammigatti were present at the event.
Honorary president of Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Mahasabha Udupi district Dr G S Chandrashekhar, president of Sharan Sahitya Parishat Udupi district Niranjan Cholayya, president of Udupi Taluk Guarantee Scheme Implementation Committee Ramesh Kanchan, Dalit Sangharsha Committee leader Sundar Master, Billava leader Geetanjali Suvarna, and many others participated in the session.