Vachana expression has till now been identified with a sect of Shaivism called Virashaivism/Lingayatism. Its historical framework is considered to be 12th century, in Kalyana, the imperial capital of the Chalukyas and later, of Kalachuryas. The main progenitor of Lingayatism, say scholars, was Basavanna, Finance Minister of emperor Bijjala. The literature also further assumes that  Basavanna set-up in Kalyana Anubhava Mantapa, an assembly of saint-poets. The Vachana poets are supposed to have gathered in this assembly to debate matters spiritual, compose, read, and discuss each others’ compositions. The Lingayat literary harvest is said to be contemporaneous with the active period of Basavanna’s tenure with the emperor. This brief but intense poetic efflorescence was cut short by political upheavals caused by the violation of traditional caste rules. The questioning of the caste order and gender subjugation irritated the hegemony so much that it led to the unleashing of violence against the followers of the new sect.

This episode of BIC talks which outlines the new approach to literary and cultural context of Vachanas was the second of the four part masterclass titled The Paths of the Hand, Heart and Void, by Prof H S Shivaprakash on the Vachana efflorescence of Karnataka examines the neglected contribution and philosophy of artisan Vachana poets, to show that it was an independent soteriological approach different from Bhakti and mysticism.

Recommended background readings:

A.K. Ramanujan, Speaking of Shiva

Velcheru Narayana Rao, Shiva’s Warriors

Manu Devadevan, A Pre-history of Hinduism

Ayyappa Panikkar: Medieval Indian Literature, 4 vols .

Sisir Kumar Das: History of Indian Literature, 3 vols

Manu Devadevan: God Is Dead, There Is No God (Vachanas of Allama)

H. S. Shivaprakash, I Keep Vigil of Rudra

H. S. Shivaprakash, The Word in the World