On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to social reformer and poet Jagadguru Basaveshwara on the occasion of Basava Jayanthi. In his tweet, he stated that Basaveshwara’s thoughts and ideals inspire humanity and that the BJP will follow the path shown by him. Basavaraj Bommai, the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Minister R Ashoka, and other leaders also paid floral tributes to the Basavanna statue at Vidhana Soudha in the state capital.
Jagadguru Basaveshwara, a 12th-century philosopher, statesman, and Kannada poet, was a major figure in the Shiva-focused Bhakti movement. He is highly respected by the Lingayat community in Karnataka. Basavanna was a champion of equality and women’s rights, rejecting all forms of discrimination, superstition, and ritual. He spread social awareness through his poetry, known as Vachanaas, and introduced the Anubhava Mantapa concept, which allowed women and men from all socio-economic backgrounds to participate in discussions related to spirituality and life questions without any restrictions.
Modi responded to a tweet by Member of Parliament Shivkumar Udasi about the unveiling of the Statue of Jagadguru Basaveshwara in London in November 2015, stating that he is honored to have had several opportunities to pay homage to Basaveshwara and that the BJP will always follow his path. He added that Basaveshwara rightly emphasized empowering the downtrodden and building a strong and prosperous society.
Basaveshwara brought the Ishtalinga necklace, which had an image of the Shiva Linga, to the people. His thoughts and ideals continue to inspire people from all walks of life, and his contributions to social reform and spiritual discourse have left a lasting impact on society.