UPSC Civil Services 2016 Prelims General Studies Paper I

(i) Siddhas means the refined monotheistic creed existed. Sittar implies an expert in occultism, alchemy and so on with magic or superstitious powers.
(ii) The lingayats believed that on death the devotee will be reunited with Shiva and not to this world. Therefore instead of cremating the body, they ceremonially bury their dead.
(iii) They criticised the caste system and questioned belief in the theory of rebirth.
(iv) Certain practices were encouraged by the lingayats such as post-puberty marriages and widow remarriage. Knowledge of the Virashaiva tradition has been derived from vachanas (sayings) composed in Kannada by those who had joined