Download or read book Revolution of the Mystics written by Jan Peter Schouten and published by Motilal Banarsidass Publishe. This book was released on 1995 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the most fascinating episode in the religious history of Southern India is the rise of the Virasaiva movement. These heroic followers of Siva-also called Lingayatas-are characterized by a unique combination of intense devotion and social reformation. The movement arose in the twelfth century under the charismatic leadership of Basava. Men and women from every backgroud, highcaste as well as untouchable, joined the experimental community of the Virasaivas. They has their own sacred literature in the form of short poems in the vernacular language of the region: Kannada.