About Basavanna 

• Basavanna was a 12th-century philosopher, statesman, and Kannada poet during the period of the Shiva-focused Bhakti movement. 
• Considered to be one of the many great social reformers, Basavanna stood for the underprivileged classes and women’s rights.
• He spread social awareness through his poetry called Vachanaas. 
• The renowned reformer rejected all kinds of gender and social discrimination, superstitions, and rituals. 
• As the chief minister of his kingdom, he introduced new public institutions such as the Anubhava Mantapa (or, the “hall of spiritual experience”), which welcomed men and women from all socio-economic backgrounds to discuss spiritual and mundane questions of life.
• Basavanna is widely considered the founder of the Lingayat sect, which sought to promote equality and social justice.