Here is your essay on Veerashaivism: as a powerful social movement in Karnataka.
From the 12th century to the 16th century, Veerashaivism grew as a powerful social movement in Karnataka, winning numerous followers. The quick conversions, it brought about gave rise to frequent lapses amongst its members. New converts found it difficult to give up their old ways of thinking and acting specially relating to caste and worship.
They were caught between the old and the new values. Within a single household some converted to Veerashaivism while other did not do so. This led to interpersonal fractions within a family. At a larger level, Veerashaivism faced strong opposition from orthodox sections of Hinduism, specially the Brahmins whose position and power came to be challenged by the new faith.
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In spite of these pressures, due to the writing efforts of the activists and the appeal of its ideas and practices, Lingayatism became a force to reckon with in Kamataka. According to Professor Venugopal the greatest numerical expansion of the Lingayats was in the l5th and 16th centuries. Many feudal chieftains of Karnataka specially south Karnataka converted to the Lingayat path. This feudal patronage while adding prestige and economic strength to the faith also introduced into divisions within it.
After the 16th century Veerashaivism slowed down its conversion activities. The closing the boundaries to outsiders began and rifts within the community emerged. Hereditary status groups of washermen, barbers, artisans and traders began to develop and these groups became endogamous. Their loyalties were given to different mathas. The device to acquire power and control over the vast resources accumulated over the years, led to divisions within the Veerashaivite community.
Many departures from the ideals and practices propounded by Veerashaivism began to be seen. For instance, there was no provisions for a priestly group as found in Brahmanical Hinduism, among the Lingayats. The Lingachara was the acknowledgement of equality of all Linga wearers. But in course of time the Guru and the Jangama order among the Lingayats began to assume hereditary class characteristics which was not foreseen by the early Lingayats. The growing number of mathas provided a convenient place for recruiting the desired members into the Guru or Tangama order.
Control over monasteries, properties attached to them such as buildings and educational trusts created by the charities of the public, became an important source of hereditary succession. The existence of a priestly group not only created inequality among worshippers but also led to a neglect of the principle of kayaka.
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Mathas were divided into Guru and Virakta mathas and each Lingayat had its own set of followers. The Guru order claimed that their traditions were much older than the 12th century. Lingayat creed. This order blamed Besava and his followers for hastily converting low castes into Lingayatism and thereby weakening its discipline. The Virakta followers claimed that Besava and Allama Prabhu were of divine origin.
They claimed that the Guru matha were encouraging Brahmanical traditions which led to the oppression of castes and priestly dominance. By the 17th century the Guru and Jangama amity felt apart in the struggle for power and control. Though these internal divisions did weaken the community strength, Lingayats became a powerful community in Karnataka’s political, social and economic life.