Basava Jayanti 2023: Date, significance and celebrations

In memory of Lord Basavanna's birthday, Lingayats in the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra observe the festival known as Basava Jayanti. The birth of Lord Basavanna, who is regarded as the founder of the Lingayat community, is celebrated to commemorate the beginning of a new era known as the Basavanna or Basaveshwar era.

As per the traditional calendar, Lord Basaveshwar was born on the third day of Vaisakh month. Basav Jayanti is a public holiday in Karnataka. This year Basav Jayanti will be celebrated on April 23.

In Bagewadi, 20 kilometres from Hungund, Basavanna was born in the 12th Century. He was born in Ingaleshwar, according to certain historians. Basavanna became a renowned philosopher, social reformer, and poet. He began promoting societal awakening through poetry. He introduced the Ishtalinga necklace and disregarded any gender or social status-based discrimination. As the monarch of Bijjal, Basavanna established the Anubhava Mantapa, which later developed into a meeting place for all social strata to publicly debate spiritual matters. Vachana Sahitya is among Basaveshwar's literary creations. Basavanna made substantial contributions to the Sharana community's growth, which gave rise to outstanding poets and social reformers like Akka Mahadevi and Allam Prabhu. His lessons and convictions were outstanding. Some people faithfully adhered to his teachings, while others did not. Through his profound social knowledge and poetry, he fought against the wrongdoings of society and attempted to change them.

In Karnataka, where Basavanna has a sizable following, Basava Jayanti has been proclaimed a state holiday. People from different cities and villages in Karnataka celebrate it grandly. People come to the Lord Basaveshwar temples on this day to offer prayers. It's a significant day, particularly for farmers. The practice of Lingayat committees organising various events is widespread in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. On Basava Jayanti, people exchange pleasantries and sweets. Many people choose to travel to Kudalasangama, which holds numerous cultural and spiritual events over a week-long period for the Basav Jayanti celebration.