Explain the teachings of BasaveShvara and his contribution to society.

BasaveShvara founded the Lingayat movement at Kalyaṇī in Karnataka. He rejected caste distinctions and ritualism, teaching instead personal devotion and the equal spiritual potential of all men and women. He wrote short poems called vachanas in Kannada. He established an anubhava maṇḍapa, which means "pavilion of experience", where people from all backgrounds could discuss moral values and religion freely.