from 11th to 15th of January every year

Lord Basavanna with his humanitarian ideals and illumined soul was a socialist and social reformer of extraordinary calibre, a champion of women's emancipation and a man of very progressive thought and action.  With the burning ambition of creating a casteless and creedless society, he formulated and adumbrated the principles of a revolutionary new religion.  'Sharana Mela' has been conceived with the aim of furthering Basavanna's noble ideology.

SHARANA MELA -a great annual religious congregation

Kudala Sangama is the holy-religious centre and pilgrim-place to the followers of Lingayat religion at which place the great founder-prophet of this Faith, Sri Basaveswara left his divine body through Icchamarana (Death at will by yogic way) and became one with that Absolute reality like camphor melting in the fire. As such,  Pujya Sri Jagadguru Lingananda Swamiji and Pujya Sri Jagadguru Mata Mahadevi decided to arrange for the yearly congregation of the followers and lovers of this religion at Kudala Sangama on the Makara Sankranti day which normally falls on the 14th January.

The first historical Sharana Mela took place in 1988, on January 15th attracting more than two lakhs of people from different corners of not only Karnataka but from all over India.  Since then all  Sharana Melas (Congregations) arranged in January proved to be more result oriented with greater success. Sharana Mela which resembles the Huz is attracting more and more followers of Basava Philosophy year after year.  Without any distinction of caste, creed, class and sex, the followers of Basaveswara gather here, pray the Almighty, perform mass Istalinga worship, glorify with gratitiude their prophet-founder, Basava and recite Vacana Literature - which form their  canonical scripture.  The over all spectacular view of the congregation, where the wearing of saffron scarfs on white uniform by the sharanas is a special feature beyond description, is quite inspiring.  Sharana Mela which is conducted from 11th to 15th January is an annual feature of perennial nature.

Donations :

Arrangements and preparations will have to be made for the participants at Sharana Mela like temporary lodgings, accommodation and public conveniences. Arrangements for the mass-meals (Dasoha) will have to be made. Structures will have to be put up in great nos. to house the exhibitions, dramas and other religio-cultural activities. Facilities will have to be made to conduct the mass prayers to be held.  In this connection economic and other help is being sought from philanthropically minded institutions, organisations and devotees.

The philanthropic public is therefore requested to come forward and to donate liberally for this noble cause.

Contribution in the following categories are solicited

                 Patrons : Rs. 5000/- and above

                 Donors : Rs. 1000/- and above

                 Well-wishers : Rs. 500/- and above

                 Reception Committee membership : Rs. 250/-

                 Delegate's fee : Rs. 125/-

Those who send in their contributions, donations and membership and delegate fees will receive formal admission cards. They will have boarding and temporary lodging facilities made for them. There will be free feeding for the public in general.

Since Sharana Mela is a mammoth congregation of Basava Tatwa followers, many organisations have come forward to participate in arranging the Mela. Basava Mahamane Charitable Trust, a registered religious public Trust is one among those which has come forward with the avowed objective of actively working for the Sharana Mela.

Basava Mahamane Charitable Trust   has got Income-tax exemption on donations made to it under sec. 80G of the Income-tax Act. As such donors who are interested in utilising this facility may send drafts in favour of Basava Mahamane Charitable Trust, Bangalore duly mentioning therein the purpose of their donation in their covering letters.

Her Holiness Maha Jagadguru Mata Mahadevi

            Peethadhyakshe, Basava Dharma Peetha

1. Founder prophet-Lord Basavanna, who preached equality of mankind.

2. Religious scripture - Vachana literature that preaches Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of man.

3. Religious object of Worship - Istalinga a black shining emblem symbolising the cosmic soul-God, worn on body and worshipped.

4. Religious centre- Kudala Sangama, the holy place where Lord Basavanna became one with God.

5. Religious flag- Satsthala Dhwaja with Guru Basavanna's sacred chant and Ishtalinga in a six angled star.

6.       Aim of the Religion-Sharana Samaja (Kalyan Rajya) Nirmana- building up of casteless and classless society based on religious values on this earth.

Address : -

Viswa Kalyana Mission (R.)

Basava Mantapa, 2035, 20th Main, II Block,

Chord Road, Rajajinagar, Bangalore- 560 010

Karnataka State, India. Phone : 080-3325335, 3322790

Sharana Mela Utsava Samithi (R.)

Mahamane Mahamatha, Sharana Loka

Kudala Sangama - 587 115.

Tq- Hunagunda, Dist-Bagalakot

Karnataka State, India. Phone 08351-58038, 58007, 58140