Consider the following statements about the Lingayats: 1. They bury their dead 2. They are great believers in the caste system, especially in the theory of purity and pollution 3. They are against child marriage and favour widow remarriage Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

The Lingayats, also known as Virashaivas, emerged as a reformist movement in 12th-century Karnataka under Basavanna. They do not practice cremation as prescribed in the Dharmashastras; instead, they ceremonially bury their dead because they believe the devotee will be united with Shiva and not return to this world [1]. Statement 1 is therefore correct. The movement was fundamentally egalitarian and challenged the Brahmanical ideas of caste and the theory of 'pollution' [2]. They rejected the caste hierarchy and the concept of untouchability, making statement 2 incorrect [1]. Furthermore, the Lingayats actively promoted social reforms that were disapproved by traditional texts, specifically encouraging post-puberty marriage (opposing child marriage) and favoring the remarriage of widows [1]. Thus, statement 3 is correct, making the final answer 1 and 3.

Sources

1. [1] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 6: Bhakti-Sufi Traditions > 3. The Virashaiva Tradition in Karnataka > p. 147
2. [2] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Kinship, Caste and Class > 3.5 Beyond the four varnas Subordination and conflict > p. 66