Akka Mahadevi

of a series on
Lingayatism

History

Saints

Basavanna

Allama Prabhu

Akka Mahadevi

Siddharama

Channabasavanna

Yediyur Siddalinga

Chamarasa

Palkuriki Somanatha

Beliefs and practices

Ashtavarana · Shatsthala
Panchachara
Ishtalinga · Kayaka
Daasoha
Sharana · Pranalinga

Scriptures

Karana Hasuge · Mantra Gopya
Shunyasampadane · Vachanas

Pilgrim centers

Kudalasangama · Basava Kalyana

Ingaleshwara · Shrishaila · Ulavi

Yedeyur · Basavana Bagewadi

Solapur

Related topics

Ishtalinga

Akka Mahadevi (ಅಕ್ಕ ಮಹಾದೇವಿ) was a prominent figure of the Veerashaiva Bhakti movement of the 12th century Karnataka. Her Vachanas in Kannada, a form of didactic poetry are considered her greatest contribution to Kannada Bhakti literature. In all she wrote about 430 Vachanas which is relatively fewer than that compared to some other saints of her time. Yet the term 'Akka' (elder Sister) which is an honorific given to her by great Veerashaiva saints like Basavanna, Chenna Basavanna, Kinnari Bommayya, Siddharama, Allamaprabhu and Dasimayya speaks volumes of her contribution to the movement that was underway. She is in hindsight seen as a great and inspirational woman for Kannada literature and the history of Karnataka. She is said to have accepted the god Shiva ('Chenna Mallikarjuna') as her husband, traditionally understood as the 'madhura bhava' or 'madhurya' form of devotion (This is similar to how 8th century Andal declared herself marriable only to lord Vishnu or as centuries later Meera, a 16th century saint, considered herself married to Krishna).