History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c41.s8.8

v3.c41.s8.8

It does not concern us to detail the various philosophical tenets of the Lingayats as compared with those of Rāmānuja or Śankara for which the reader may refer to the learned treatise of Dr. R. G. Bhandarkar on Śaivism. But we may mention that the Lingayats after denying caste, as usual with Hindus, developed a sort of caste system in which the Āchāryas and the Jangamas are Brahmins so to speak, the later being married. The Panchamas also consist of other castes though they are few in number. The Lingayat sect as a social reform is very much in favour of women who have the same Upanayana ceremony as men in early age, who are not compelled to observe untouchability in their monthly sickness and who are believed to be as capable of attaining the highest goal (Sāmarasya) as the men. The sect have prescribed a Gāyatrī of their own (Om Namah Śivāya) and have also a gotra-pravara system of their own. They are total abstainers from flesh and wine.