ಬಸವಕಲ್ಯಾಣ

Coordinates :17°16′N 76°57
Country : India
State : Karnataka
District : Bidar
Population :102,546 (2006)
Time zone : IST (UTC+05:30)
Elevation : 621 metres (2,037 ft)

The centre of a great social and religious movement. In 12th century, because of the social reformer Basava, it became a seat of learning. Basava, Akka Mahadevi, Channabasavanna, Siddarama and other Sharanas are associated with Basavakalyana. Basava, who fought against castism and orthodoxy in Hinduism.

History of Mahatma Basaveshwara:

Basava (also known as Basavanna (Kannada: ಬಸವಣ್ಣ) or Basaveshwara (Kannada: ಬಸವೇಶ್ವರ), (1106–1167)) was a philosopher and a social reformer. He fought against practice of caste system and rituals in Hinduism. He is also called as Vishwa Guru and Bhakti-Bhandari. His teachings and preachings go beyond all boundaries and are universal and eternal. He was a great humanitarian. Basava advocated a new way of life wherein the divine experience was the center of life giving equal opportunity to all aspirants regardless of the gender, caste, and social status. The cornerstone behind his movement was the firm belief in a universal concept of God. Basava has a proponent of monotheistic concept of formless God.

A true visionary with ideas ahead of his time, he envisioned a society that flourished enriching one and all. In addition to being a great mystic, Basava was the Prime Minister of the Southern Kalachuri Empire in South India and originated a literary revolution by introducing Vachana Sahitya. Basava is said to have been a mystic by temperament, an idealist by choice, a statesman by profession, a man of letters by taste, a humanist by sympathy, and a social reformer by conviction. Many great yogis and mystics of the time joined his movement enriching it with the essence of divine experience in the form of Vachanas (Lit. sayings - sacred hymns in Kannada) that define a new way of looking at God and life.

Basava's path later gave birth to a new religion (or "Sampradaya") called Lingavanta Dharma or Lingayata . Other synonyms for lingayata are: Basava Dharma, Sharana Dharma, Vachana Dharma.

Vachana Sahitya :

"ಉಳ್ಳವರು ಶಿವಾಲಯ ಮಾಡುವರು ನಾನೇನು ಮಾಡಲಿ ಬಡವನಯ್ಯಾ
ಎನ್ನ ಕಾಲೇ ಕಂಬ, ದೇಹವೇ ದೇಗುಲ, ಶಿರವೇ ಹೊನ್ನ ಕಳಸವಯ್ಯಾ
ಕೂಡಲಸಂಗಮದೇವಾ ಕೇಳಯ್ಯಾ, ಸ್ಥಾವರಕ್ಕಳಿವುಂಟು ಜಂಗಮಕ್ಕಳಿವಿಲ್ಲ,"

Places to Visit:

* Bandavara Oni
* Basavakalyana Fort
* Shiva Temple at Narayanpur
* Shiva Temple at Shivapur
* Anubhav Mantap
* Basaveshwara Temple
* Islamic monuments Moti Mahal, Hydari Mahal, Peeran Durga
* Akka Mahadevi Gavi
* Arivina Mane
* Gadugina Matha
* Madivala Maachi Devara Gavi
* Nooli Chennayya Gavi
* Tripurantakeshwara Lake n Temple
* Dumm Ganesha Temple
* Old Kalyani Kunda
* Gachina Matha
* Kambali Matha
* Amba Bhavani Temple
* Sadanand Swami Matha
* Jama Masjid
* St. Joseph Church Kavadial
* Mata Mahadevi Center

Langauges Used:

* Kannada (Official Langauge)
* Hindi
* Marathi
* Dakhni Urdu
* Telugu

Banks:

* State Bank of India
* HDFC Bank
* Axis Bank
* Canara Bank
* State Bank of Hyderabad
* Syndicate Bank
* Krishna Gramina Bank
* Muthoot Finance

Where to Stay:

* Rajkamal Logde
* Gayatri Logde
* Kalyan Logde
* Kamala Logde