VEERASHAIVA LINGAYAT / LINGABALIJA - Andhra Pradesh

1 -1- VEERASHAIVA LINGAYAT / LINGABALIJA . Sri Shivarao Shettkar, the then President of Andhra Pradesh VEERASHAIVA LINGAYAT Federation presented a memorandum to the then Chairman and members of the Commission for Backward Classes on 09-05-1994. requesting for inclusion of VEERASHAIVA LINGAYAT caste / community in the list of Backward Classes. Veerashaivas are Lingayats or persons belonging to and following VEERASHAIVA religion. Historically this religion was found and propagated by Lord Basavaswara in 12th century. The members of this religion compulsorily wear Shiva Linga on their bodies. VEERASHAIVA Lingayats are also popularly called as Lingabalijas in Andhra Pradesh . The approximate population of VEERASHAIVA Lingayats is about Lakhs. They are socially, educationally, economically and politically backward. VEERASHAIVA Lingayats were not allowed admission to Sanskrit colleges in Mysore State. The Brahmin scholars refuse to teach Sanskrit to VEERASHAIVA Lingayats.

2 They were looked down as Shudras even though they do not come within the Hindu hierarchy. The Bombay High Court had treated the VEERASHAIVA Lingayats as Shudras. Thus they remain socially backward. Their main occupation is agriculture, petty business, agricultural labour, oil pressing, hair cutting, cloth washing, pottering, blacksmithy, tailoring, weaving, carpentry, hawkers, shoe making and other occupations which have a social stigma attached to them. Due to social stigma they could not prosecute their studies. Majority of VEERASHAIVA Lingayats are uneducated. Their habitation is very backward and thus they are educationally backward. Most of the VEERASHAIVA Lingayats are below poverty line. Their income is very meager which resulted in migration to other areas. Thus they are economically backward. They occupy a low social position in the village and they could not get proper education and consequently they could not secure jobs. They are not adequately represented in Government jobs.

3 There is no political representation. The Mandal Commission recognized VEERASHAIVA LINGAYAT /. LINGABALIJA community and included in the list of Backward Classes. The -2- Government of Karnataka also included this community in the list of Backward Classes. For the above said reasons, they requested for inclusion Sri , President of the Yemmiganur VEERASHAIVA Sangha also submitted a memorandum on 11-05-1994 making similar request. Several representations were submitted from Kadapa, Anantapur, Krishna, Karimnagar, Mahaboobnagar, Ranga Reddy, Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Kurnool, Medak (mainly from Jogipet) districts and others also submitted representations for inclusion of their community in the list of Backward Classes on similar grounds from time to time. Sri K. Konda Raju, Secretary, Andhra VEERASHAIVA Welfare Center, Vishakapatnam also submitted a memorandum dated 05-12-1997 to the then Chairman, Backward Classes Commission for inclusion of VEERASHAIVA LINGAYAT caste in the list of Backward Classes.

4 After the Commission was reconstituted, a notification dated 03-01-2009. calling for representations, suggestions and objections was issued. The caste representatives submitted similar representations. Subsequently public hearing was conducted on 09-02-2009 and Sri Vijay Kumar Herur, Legal Advisor to VEERASHAIVA LINGAYAT Federation, S. Guru Shantappa, advisor, P. Ramalinga Reddy, T. Koteshwar Rao and others appeared before the Commission and pleaded for inclusion. The Commission deputed the survey team to conduct household sample survey to assess the social, educational, economic and political condition of those people. The Commission formulated a format which was adopted by the survey team and collected the particulars. -3- ORIGIN OF THE COMMUNITY: The survey team of the Commission for Backward classes comprising of Deputy Director (Statistics) and Asst. Statistical Officers has conducted random household survey in Ranga Reddy, Anantapur, Kurnool, Mahaboobnagar, Medak, Hyderabad and Nizamabad districts of Andhra Pradesh during February 2009.

5 During the course of deliberations with the community elders, it has been noted that the nomenclature of the community has come into existence with the reformistic cannons created by one Sri Basaveswara of Karnataka region within Saivism. He is an exponent of Dasoha which mean, what belongs to God must return to Him and what came from society should be given back to society by way of selfless service. The Lingayats/Lingabalijas invariably wear the Ishtalinga'. arround their neck at all times. This lingam is a replica of Lord Siva. The Istalinga is made up of light gray slate stone coated with fine durable thick black paste of cow dung ashes mixed with some suitable oil to withstand wear and tear. Sometimes it is made up of ashes mixed with pure butter. Thus, for the Lingayats it is an amorphous representation of God. VEERASHAIVA Lingayats /. LINGABALIJA thus mean the wearer of Linga as Ishta Linga. Lingayats in principle do not partake non-vegetarian food.

6 Lingadharana is the ceremony of initiation of Siva aradhana among Lingayats. Though, it can be performed at any age, it is usually performed when a child is 3-8 days old. The child receives Istalinga from the family Guru that is worshipped until age 8 -11 years. Usually between the ages of 8 and 11 years, the child receives Diksha from the Guru. From then on, the child wears the Linga at all times for the remainder of his/her life and it is worshipped as their own Istalinga. The Linga is housed in a small silver wooden box and cloth. It is worn on the chest or around the body using a thread. Unlike other castes of Hinduism permitting Upanayana (sacred rope ceremony) to only males, this ceremony is for both men and women in presence of their revered Guru. This practice was -4- started by revolutionary Basaveswara being himself a Brahmin refused to undergo upanayana seeing the discrimination of women. Among the many injunctions prescribed for the devout LINGAYAT , Dasoha is a very important one.

7 Basava created this as a protest against the feudalistic ideologies present at that time. He shunned the sharp hierarchial divisions that existed and sought to remove all distinctions between the hierarchially superior master class and the subordinate, servile class. Even though he himself served as a minister under the king, Bijjala, he pointed out that he worked only as a daasohi (Servent of GOD) or one who serves mankind. Dasoha to him meant working hard for one's livelihood and for the maintenance of society and in the service of God by doing well especially for the down trodden. Since the origin of the community first was at Karnataka, it spread to all parts of the South India in course of time. The community people are now seen in the Districts bordering Karnataka like Anantapur, Mahaboobnagar, Ranga Reddy, Medak and Nizamabad Districts. There is no traditional occupation prescribed or practiced by the community as was stated by its community elders.

8 Hence they are seen in almost all occupations according to individual skills. DESIGN OF HOUSEHOLD SURVEY: Multi stage random household survey on VEERASHAIVA LINGAYAT /. LINGABALIJA community was conducted during February 2009 in Rangareddy, Anantapur, Kurnool, Mahaboobnagar, Medak, Hyderabad and Nizamabad districts. A total of 252 households were selected by random method and surveyed of which the urban samples are of the order of 47 households only which comprises of of the total households. -5- SURVEY RESULTS. The total population covered by the survey is 958 of which the male constitute 484 persons and rests 474 are females. The sex ratio is recorded as 98 females per 100 males and the household size is recorded as persons. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BACKWARDNESS. Questions Answers No. %. Household feeling on the caste 1 Inferior 135 Superiority/Inferiority Normal 117 Superior 0. Total 252 2 Whether the caste is looked down by the society Yes 141 No 111 Total 252 3 Whether the caste people are dwelling in discriminated locality Yes 112 No 140 Total 252 4 Whether milk is purchased for household purpose Yes 221 No 31 Total 252 5 Whether newspaper is purchased Yes 9 No 243 Total 252 6 Whether the household is living in a rented house or own house Rented 37 Own 215 Total 252 7 Average plinth area of the house is between 200 and 350 sq.

9 Ft. 8 Kind of house RCC 35 Tiled 162 Tiled / Tatched 55 -6- Total 252 9 Provision of bathroom Yes 37 No 215 Total 252 10 Provision of individual sanitary latrines Yes 35 No 217 Total 252 Provision of drinking water tap within 11. premises Yes 88 No 164 Total 252 On an average 150 to 250. meters to be covered to fetch 12 How long to go to collect drinking water drinking water from bore/ tap points. 13 Whether the house is electrified Yes 234 No 18 Total 252 14 Fuel used for cooking purpose Gas 39 Purchased fire wood 14 Firewood by own 199 collection Total 252 15 Fan facility in home Yes 164 No 88 Total 252 16 Phone connectivity including cell phones Yes 45 No 207 Total 252 17 Ration cards No cards 11 White cards 187 Pink cards 54 Total 252 -7- Did not come across any entity in 18 Political power of the community the survey 19 Appearance of the household members with regard to dress and footwear Poor appearance 204 Middle class appearance 48 Rich appearance 0 Total 252 20 Ornaments with precious metal observed Poorly bejeweled 210 Reasonable bejeweled 42 No jewelry 0 Total 252 21 Hygienic conditions of the surroundings of the household Slum 206 Middle class 46 Posh locality 0 Total 252 22 House holds take part in intoxication on certain social/religious occasion Yes 0 No 252 Total 252 23 Whether the community is discriminated in the

10 Local functions/festivals Yes 37 No 215 Total 252 24 Practice of Widow remarriages Yes 118 No 134 Total 252 25 Practice of child marriages Yes 174 No 78 Total 252 26 Feeling on disclosure of own caste among advanced caste people Feel shame to disclose 173 Do not feel shame to 79 disclose Total 252 27 Ability to resist atrocities by advance caste people -8- Do not have Guts 217 Having guts 35 Total 252 The above table gives vivid picture of certain variables under social and economic aspects of backwardness, which is summed up as detailed below. The community has some perceptible feeling of inferiority as of households have expressed thus by virtue of the caste as compared to other advanced castes in their localities. About of the households have indicated that they are looked down by the society. About 44% have expressed that they live in a discriminated localities like any other backward class community for reasons best known since ages. As regards purchase of newspaper a whooping 96% have expressed that they do not need to purchase for majority of them are illiterates and they do not have perception to read news.