Īccording to legends, she was a beautiful woman with long tresses and Kaushika, the Jain ruler of the region, fell in love with her. Her parents, Sumati and Nirmalashetty, were devotees of Lord Shiva and followed the Shaivite sect of the Lingayats. They believed in the Trividhi philosophy that comprises of Shiv Linga, Jangama and Guru, i.e., to sacrifice one’s life in service to society, aim for true knowledge and give up on worldly happiness, worshiping the Lord Shiva. Ramanujan, “Lord as White as Jasmine”.Īkka Mahadevi was born in a village called Udatadi in Karnataka and was raised in a spiritual atmosphere. Having considered ‘Chennamallikarjuna’ (the god Shiva ) as her husband in what is understood as the ‘ madhurya’ form of devotion or the ‘ madhura bhava’, she ends her verses with her ‘ ankita’ (signature) calling Shiva as Chennamallikarjuna or as poetically translated by A. and offers a testimony to the spiritual struggles faced by a female mystic in a patriarchal society.

In her vachanas, Akka Mahadevi expressed her radical views on women’s roles, Hindu ritualism, caste, etc. conferred to her the honorific term ‘Akka’ meaning ‘an elder sister’. The other Virashaiva saints like Basavanna, Siddharama, Allamaprabhu, etc. It is said that she was the first woman to have written vachanas in Kannada literature. Image Credit: PinterestĪkka Mahadevi is highly regarded for her vachanas, and is seen as an inspirational woman both for the history of Karnataka and Kannada literature.

Through vachanas, the Virashaivites also rejected local folklore and classical traditions. Their key form of communication was through vachanas or sayings which were free verse hymns in their mother-tongue. They opposed orthodox Hinduism and its practices, for instance, caste and the system of worship through temple and priest. The Virashaivites were social and spiritual revolutionaries in Karnataka during the twelfth century. 1130-1160) Kannada poet, saint and mystic of the Virashaiva Bhakti Movement.

Basavanna life history in kannada pdf