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OF THE HINDUS.
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clerical members of the sect usually stain their garments with red ochre. They are not numerous in Upper India, and are rarely encountered except as mendicants leading about a bull, the living type of Nandi, the bull of Siva, decorated with housings of various colours, and strings of Cowri shells: the conductor carries a bell in his hand, and thus accompanied goes about from place to place, subsisting upon alms. In the South of India the Lingáyats are very numerous, and the officiating priests of the Saiva shrines are commonly of this sect", when they bear the designations of Árádhya and Pandáram”. The sect is also there known by the name of Vira Saiva. The following account of the restorer, if not the founder of the faith, as well as a specimen of the legends by which it is maintained, are derived from the Busava Purána.
According to the followers of this faith, which prevails very extensively in the Dekhan, Basta, Basava, Basrana, or Bascapa or Basarappa, different modes of writing his name, only restored this religion, and did not invent it. This person, it is said, was the son of Madiga Ráya, a Brahman, and Maderí, written also Madala arasu and Mahúmbá, inhabitants of Ilinguleśvar Parcati Agraháram, on the west of Sri Saila, and both devout worshippers of Siva. In recompense of their piety Nandi, the bull of Śiva,
1 They also officiate in this capacity at the temple of Kedaranáth, in Benares.
? This word seems to be properly Párduranga, (TUCTF:) pale complexioned, from their smearing themselves with ashes. It is so used iu Flemachandra's history of Maharira, when speaking of the Saira Brahmans.
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