Republic India Coins, Proof Set, Currencies: 2006 - Mahatma Basaveshwara

This Post gives the details of the Proof Set. For UNC Set refer to the Next Post

The Second commemorative in the year 2006 was with theme Mahatma Basaveshwara. Although there was no occassion, it was more to honour past leaders.

The details are;

Basava (also known as Guru Basavanna or Basaveshwara, (1134–1196)) was a philosopher and a social reformer. He is also called Vishwa Guru and Bhakti-Bhandari. His teachings and preachings which are universal, go beyond all boundaries of belief systems. He was a great humanitarian and preached a new way of life wherein the divine experience being the center of life regardless of gender, belief, tradition, religion, caste,social status or whatever. The key aspect of his preaching is monotheistic concept of God A true visionary with ideas ahead of his time; he envisioned a society that flourished enriching one and all. He was a great mystic,of his time and originated a literary revolution through his literary creation called Vachana Sahitya. He was a mystic by temperament, an idealist by choice, a statesman by profession,(He was the Prime Minister of the Southern Kalachuri Empire in South India) a man of letters by taste, a humanist by sympathy, and a social reformer by conviction. Many great yogis and mystics of his time joined his movement enriching it with the essence of divine experience in the form of Vachanas
Basava spread social awareness through his poetry Known as VACHANAAS. These are rational and progressive social thoughts coupled with established perception of God in Hindu society. "Brahminical thought" interpret the VACHANNAS as essence of vedic knowledge while attempting to explain the social revolution, Basava was able to bring in. But this theory however fails to explain why other well known religious leaders like Shankaracharya and Madhwacharya, who were very well acquainted with vedic knowledge did not address the issues, that Basava did in later part of the history in 12th century. Basava, like Gautama Budda, did not preach people the intricate aspects of spirituality; but, he taught people how to live happily in a rational social order later came to be known as Sharana movement. Unfortunately, the lingayatha or veerashaiva dharma has turned out be another exploiting caste in Casteist Hindu society, washing away the efforts of Basava. Basavanna has been reduced to another deity.

Release Function:

23-June-2006: By Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh in a function held in Bangalore in presence of the Union Finance Minister, Shri P. Chidambaram and the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri. H D Kumara Swamy.

Executive Set:

Coins of Rs 100 and Rs 5