Newindpress

Belgaum, Jun 15: Noted research scholar R S Lokapur, popularily known as ‘Ramsha’, on Wednesday added another dimension to the contraversy over the birth of Basavanna saying that Basavanna was an outcaste Brahmin.

Ramsha’s new findings figure in his book called ‘Karnatakadalli Avaidika Sahitya Paramparegalu’ which will hit the market in October this 2007.

Ramsha told told this website’s newspaper that though Basavanna was a Brahmin by birth his entire family was outcaste by the then Brahmin community of Bagewadi.

Ramsha denied the version of Dr Banjagere Jaiprakash who in his book ‘Aanudeva Horaganavanu’ said Basavanna was a Madiga.

Ramsha said there were several vachanas which clearly said that Basavanna was a Brahmin.

Basavanna himself has declared that he was a ‘Haruva’ Brahmin and in one of his vachanas(Vachana Number 716; Basavanna Vachana Samputa) Basavanna says that ‘Koodal Sagamadeva relieved me from doing ‘vipra karma’ (duties of a Brahmin) and purified me.’

Basavanna’s father Madarasa and mother Madalambike had performed ‘upanayana’ (thread ceremony) of Basavanna and Basavanna was doing Vipra Karma (duties of Brahmin) till he was 16, said Ramsha.

Ramsha said Basavanna and his family members were outcasted as Basavanna’s elder sister Akka Nagamma or Akka Nagalambike became pregnant without marriage and the then Brahmins of Bagewadi imposed a social boycott on Basavanna’s family.

Basavanna’s contemporary Sharana Ghatiwalayya in one of his vachanas clearly says about the birth of Channabasavannna, son of Akka Nagamma (Sankeerna Vachana Samputa 2, page 158), he added.

The noted reseach scholar said Basavanna, in his several vachanas, explained that he (his family) was not allowed to draw water from the well and his sacred thread (janiwar) was withdrawn by the Brahmin comminity.

Ramsha said Basavanna’s mother after being outcaste by the Brahmins must have committed suicide and Basavanna was converted to Veerashaism along with his wife and son.

As he was outcaste, he equated himself to Dalit (downtrodden). There are 21 vachanas of Basavanna which equated him to Dalit (Vachanas from 344 to 363 and 745).

Ramsha said Brahmins did not use the name ‘Basavanna’ for their children as the name was outcaste from the Brahmin community. He said even the Brahmins were not naming their children after Jnaneshwar, the leader of Bhakthi movement, till 20th century as Jnaneshwar and his brothers and sister were outcaste from the community.