The Lingayats were followers of Basavanna (1106-68) who was a minister in the court of a Kalachuri ruler. They are devotees of Shiva and have different set of rituals than those followed or practiced in Hinduism. This led them to challenge the idea of caste and the concept of pollution among castes as attributed by the Brahmanas. They believed that a true devotee united with Shiva upon their death. This led them to question the concept of rebirth followed by the Hindus. This also caused them to practice ceremonial burial instead of cremation.