Lingayatism shares with Shaivism an intense devotion to Shiva, yet it reshapes that devotion in ways that set it apart from more mainstream Shaiva traditions. Central to Lingayat practice is the personal iṣṭaliṅga or Ishtalinga, a small emblem of Shiva worn on the body and worshipped directly. This intimate, portable linga becomes the primary focus of devotion, making temple-centered worship and priestly mediation secondary or unnecessary. Image worship of multiple deities is not emphasized; instead, the path is oriented toward a direct, personal relationship with Shiva through this ever-present symbol.

The movement’s scriptural and philosophical grounding also differs markedly. Rather than relying on the Vedas, Agamas, and other Sanskrit texts, Lingayatism turns to the vachanas—simple yet profound Kannada devotional poems composed by saints such as Basavanna and others. These texts articulate a theology that stresses inner purity, ethical conduct, and work as worship, with a strong bhakti orientation. The authority of Vedic ritualism and Brahminical norms is explicitly rejected, and religious leadership is not confined to Brahmins, reflecting a deliberate move away from traditional structures of sacred power.

Social reform is not an incidental feature but a defining hallmark. Lingayat teachings reject the caste hierarchy and the associated notions of ritual purity and impurity, affirming instead the essential equality of all devotees of Shiva. Practices such as inter-dining and inter-marriage across caste lines, the encouragement of women’s participation in religious life, and the honoring of manual labor as sacred all express this egalitarian ethos. In this way, devotion to Shiva is inseparable from a vision of social justice and communal solidarity.

Ritual life and life-cycle practices further highlight the distinctiveness of this path. Lingayats generally set aside elaborate Vedic sacrifices, pilgrimages, astrology, and ancestor rites that are common in many Hindu settings. Funeral customs typically favor burial rather than cremation, and there is little emphasis on post-death rites such as śrāddha. Death is framed less as a state requiring ritual purification and more as a moment of union with Shiva, consistent with the movement’s focus on direct, unmediated relationship with the divine. Through these intertwined theological, ritual, and social commitments, Lingayatism stands as a Shaiva tradition that weds devotion to Shiva with a far-reaching critique of inherited religious and social conventions.