With reference to the cultural history of medieval India, consider the following statements:

1. Siddhas (sittars) of the Tamil region were monotheistic and condemned idolatry.
2. Lingayats of the Kannada region questioned the theory of rebirth and rejected the caste hierarchy.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, a monotheistic movement, mystical in nature, developed within Shaivism in the Tamil region. This was known as the Sittars or Siddhas.
  • The term siddha literally means one who has attained perfection as distinct from a bhakta who is attempting to perceive god.

Statement 2 is correct

• Lingayats are followers of Basavanna, a 12th-century philosopher-saint.
• They questioned the theory of rebirth, rejected the caste system and Vedic rituals and worship only one God, Linga (Shiva).

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2; Difficulty Level: Hard