Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
Who among the following was the founder of the Virashaiva Movement in Karnataka?
Solution & Analysis
Answer: A
Concept
The Virashaiva (Lingayat) movement was a radical social and spiritual uprising in 12th-century Karnataka that prioritized direct devotion over ritual hierarchy.Explanation
Basavanna (a minister in the Kalachuri court) founded this movement. He championed the equality of all human beings, rejected the caste system, and composed 'Vachanas' (prose-poems) in Kannada.Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Option A is correct. Basavanna is the primary figure associated with the establishment of the Lingayat tradition.
Logic 2: Appar, Sambandar, and Sundarar (B, C, D) were early Tamil Nayanar saints (6th-8th century) who were part of a different Shaivite wave in South India.