Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
Consider the following statements about the Lingayats: 1. They bury their dead. 2. They are great believers in the caste system, especially in the theory of purity and pollution. 3. They are against child marriage and favour widow remarriage. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Solution & Analysis
Answer: D
Concept
The Lingayat or Virashaiva movement was a radical social and religious reform movement in 12th-century Karnataka led by Basavanna.Explanation
Lingayats rejected the authority of the Vedas and the caste system. They challenged Brahminical notions of 'pollution' associated with birth and death, leading to their unique practice of burial instead of cremation.Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Statement 1 is correct. Lingayats bury their dead in a sitting posture because they believe the soul has already merged with Shiva (Ishtalinga) and no return is possible.
Logic 2: Statement 2 is incorrect. They explicitly rejected the caste system and the concept of pollution.
Logic 3: Statement 3 is correct. The movement advocated for social reforms like widow remarriage and opposed child marriage, which were revolutionary for the time.