WRITER

Basava

1134 - 1196

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Basava (1131–1196), also called Basavēśvara and Basavaṇṇa, was an Indian philosopher, poet, Lingayat social reformer in the Shiva-focused bhakti movement, and a Hindu Shaivite social reformer during the reign of the Kalyani Chalukya and the Kalachuri dynasties. Basava was active during the rule of both dynasties but reached the peak of his influence during the rule of King Bijjala II in Karnataka, India. Basava spread social awareness through his poetry, popularly known as Vachanaas. He rejected gender or social discrimination, superstitions and rituals but introduced Ishtalinga necklace, with an image of the lingam, to every person regardless of their birth, to be a constant reminder of one's bhakti (devotion) to Shiva. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Basava is the 984th most popular writer (down from 812th in 2019), the 152nd most popular biography from India (down from 102nd in 2019) and the 18th most popular Indian Writer.

Basava is most famous for his work to reform the caste system in India.

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Among WRITERS

Among writers, Basava ranks 984 out of 7,302. Before him are Avienus, Sin Saimdang, Victorien Sardou, Bruce Chatwin, Heinrich Kramer, and Philip Pullman. After him are George of Pisidia, George Gissing, Lawrence Durrell, Taha Hussein, Jacques Hébert, and Hartmann von Aue.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1134, Basava ranks 2. Before him is Yesugei. After him are Sancho III of Castile, Raymond V, Count of Toulouse, Margaret of Navarre, Conrad, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Theodora Komnene, Duchess of Austria, and Geoffrey, Count of Nantes. Among people deceased in 1196, Basava ranks 4. Before him are Béla III of Hungary, Alfonso II of Aragon, and Canute I of Sweden. After him are Henry IV, Count of Luxembourg, Ivan Asen I of Bulgaria, Isaac Komnenos of Cyprus, Maurice de Sully, Conrad II, Duke of Swabia, Saint Meinhard, and Ermengarde, Viscountess of Narbonne.

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In India

Among people born in India, Basava ranks 152 out of 1,861. Before him are C. N. R. Rao (1934), Sadhu Sundar Singh (1889), Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak (1551), Guru Arjan (1563), Rajaraja I (947), and Ahilyabai Holkar (1725). After him are Lawrence Durrell (1912), Lata Mangeshkar (1929), Sushruta (-620), Sher Shah Suri (1486), Kasturba Gandhi (1869), and Bindusara (-320).

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Among WRITERS In India

Among writers born in India, Basava ranks 18. Before him are William Makepeace Thackeray (1811), Meera (1498), Premchand (1880), Zeb-un-Nissa (1638), Vātsyāyana (300), and Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak (1551). After him are Lawrence Durrell (1912), Sarojini Naidu (1879), Tukaram (1608), Kazi Nazrul Islam (1899), Ahmed Deedat (1918), and Bāṇabhaṭṭa (601).

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