Basavesvara and His Times

Basaveshwar was a saint, a statesman, and an ardent social reformer in the twelfth century in a region now included partly in the present Andhra Pradesh and the Maharashtra states and mostly in the Mysore state. Basaveshvara played a significant role in the religious and cultural history of Karnataka for about four decades in the twelfth century, approximately from 1132 to 1167 A.D., his thoughts, teachings, ideals, and actions have exercised powerful influence on the generations of men and women in a conspicuous sector of the society.