Lustrous Lingayat beliefs



Lingayat jewellery

The poll-bound Karnataka is constantly in news for some or the other reasons. Thanks to our publicity hungry politicians and their height of insensitivity. Instead of focusing on development, Congress president Rahul Gandhi recently played a religious card. With that, the Lingayat community, is now on the streets demanding their identity different from Hindus.


Let us first understand what is Lingayatism. Also known as Veerashaivismi, it is an off-shoot of the Hindu faith. The devotees are called Lingayats. They believe that Shiva is the only deity rather than the three gods (Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh) revered by other Hindus. The term Lingayats means those who wear the Ishtalaniga on their body. The stone within its special silver case is worn at all times by devotees.

The ceremony of initiation called Lingaharane takes place when the foetus is still in the mother's womb. After around seven months of gestation, the family guru gives an Ishtalinga to the expectant mother. The mother wears this as a talisman until the birth of the child and then, attaches the Ishtalinga to her newborn. The child will always wear the talisman from birth onwards. Unlike most Hindus, who practice cremation, the Lingayats sect bury their dead. The deceased are buried in the meditation position with their Ishatalinga in their left hand.

Lingam casket

This clan of shiva devotees wear a cast-brass finger ring that depicts God Shiva's vehicle - the bull Nandini who wears an amulet containing a lingam. The female Lingayat Virashiva or lay persons (linga banajiga) wear silver lingam caskets or ayigalu of an abstracted egg shape. The silver lingam caskets or Gundgurdgi lingam caskets are worn on the left arm or by a Lingayat Jangam priest, under a cloth cap on the head. Note that, these are generally pot-shaped and each contains a movable jangama or lingam. 

That’s not all. Lingayat women wear a gold necklace made of 30 pendants set in gold, each with a symbolic meaning connected with fertility, in order to beget a male offspring. Gemstones like black and red corals are set onto this chain. The Lingayats also use a specifically designed polychrome wood necklace to worship Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.


Irrespective of the outcome of the ongoing political circus in the state, for me this community will always remain a rich culture of exquisite jewels with religious connotations. 

Author: Deepa Mishra

Disclaimer: All images used in the blog have been sourced from Google purely for the purpose of informative reference. The models, celebrities or products showcased in these pictures are not to promote any brand in any manner.     



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