About Lingayat sect

• The Lingayat sect is believed to have stemmed from the principles of the 12th century social reformer and Kannada poet Basava. 
• Inspired by the ‘Bhakti’ movement, Basava rejected temple worship and Brahmin rituals and envisaged a religion free of gender and religious discrimination.
• Several people from backward castes opted to be Lingayats over the centuries to escape the rigid Hindu caste system.

Who are veera shaivas?

• Veerashaivas are worshippers of Lord Shiva. They precede Basavanna, the founder of Lingayatism. 
• Veerashaivas do not worship any God other than Shiva and can be found spread across India. 
• They believe that they are born straight out of the Shivalingam – the phallic symbol worshipped by Shaivas. 
• People from the community are found largely in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. 
• Veerashaivas are the followers of the five peethas (religious centres), called pancha peethas. Kashi mutt, Rameshwaram Mutt, Ujjaini Mutt, Rambhapura Mutt and Srishaila Mutt are the core holy places for the community.

Are Lingayats and Veerashaivas the same?

• No. While both Veerashaivas and Lingayats pray to the Hindu god Shiva, the two sects are not synonymous. 
• The major difference between the Lingayats and the Veerashaivas is that while the former reject the Vedas and the caste system, the latter don’t. 
• The Lingayats worship Shiva as a formless entity (ishta linga), while Veerashaivas worship the Vedic idol of Shiva with a snake around his neck.

Why in News?

• The Veerashaiva Mahasabha has asked its community members not to describe themselves as Hindu in the forthcoming caste census in Karnataka.