Who among the following was the founder of the Virashaiva Movement in

Who among the following was the founder of the Virashaiva Movement in Karnataka ?

Basavanna
Appar
Sambandar
Sundarar
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2022
Option A is correct. Basavanna (also known as Basava) was the 12th-century philosopher, statesman, and social reformer who is considered the founder of the Virashaiva movement (also known as Lingayatism) in Karnataka.
The Virashaiva movement was a significant religious and social reform movement in South India during the medieval period, challenging caste hierarchies and advocating for social equality and personal devotion to Shiva.
Appar, Sambandar, and Sundarar were part of the earlier Nayanar tradition in Tamil Nadu, prominent Tamil Shaivite saints who composed devotional hymns (Tevaram) between the 6th and 9th centuries. They are distinct from the Virashaiva movement led by Basavanna.