Anubhava Mantapa | Revisiting an ideal metaphor

Considered to be one of the first spaces of democratic debate, Basavanna’s Anubhava Mantapa remains a relevant symbol, writes Nataraj Huliyar

The unveiling of the painting of Anubhava Mantapa at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi marks an interesting phase in the history of the Karnataka Vidhana Sabha. One hopes that this will prompt our lawmakers to discern the true significance of the historic cultural centre, which promoted open and healthy debate. 

The term Anubhava Mantapa (the hall of experience) appears only once in the vast mass of vachanas. Neealambike, who describes herself as ‘Basavanna’s Vichara Patni’, refers to Anubhava Mantapa in one of her vachanas: “With Chennabasavana, born of a boon, for his support,/our Basavayya set up the Anubhava Mantapa/as he turned into an embodiment of the Anubhava.”

The vachana hails the way Basavanna founded and established the Anubhava Mantapa in 12th-century Kalyana in North Karnataka. “Anubhava Mantapa has stayed more as a metaphor than a structure in the Kannada imagination,” says O L Nagabhushanaswamy, a vachana scholar. 

Anubhava Mantapa continues to invoke awe in the Kannada intelligentsia and masses alike, inspiring them over centuries. Poet-playwright Shivaprakash observes: “Anubhava Mantapa set up by Basavanna provided a platform for men and women from all sections of society to come together and exchange their perceptions and visions about matters social and spiritual.”

Inclusivity at the heart

Open to all castes, the inclusive Mantapa struck at the root of the caste system, which advocated for segregation. People from different parts of Karnataka attended the assembly. Molige Marayya came from Kashmir and composed vachanas here. A rope-maker, a tailor, a cobbler, a burglar, a barber, a scholar and a sex worker were all welcome here. The dialogues in the assembly inspired common folk to raise philosophical questions. The literary atmosphere released the creative energy in many of them, as they composed vachanas. Their experiential renderings were heard by all. 

The participants of the Mantapa, who shed their caste identities, were called Sharanas. Haralayya, a Dalit, and Madhuvarasa, a Brahmin, became close friends; Madhuvarasa’s daughter and Haralayya’s son were married to each other with their parents’ support.

For the first time in the history of Karnataka, women participated in socio-cultural discussions on a large scale. There were as many as 33 women poets, including the leading poetess, Akkamahadevi. Amuge Rayamma composed hard-hitting, satirical vachanas, critical of the hypocrites within the Sharana movement. Neelambike composed excellent philosophical vachanas.    

Basavanna’s family, including his wives, Gangambike and Neelambike; his sister Akkanagamma and her son Chennabasavanna took an active part in Anubhava Manatapa. Basavanna, who used the forum to educate the conservative masses, set new moral standards through his vachanas. Allamaprabhu, who chaired the sessions, was called the Shunya Simhasanadheeshwara and, in his absence, Chennabasavanna chaired the sessions. Like Anubhava Mantapa, Basavanna’s house, Mahamane, (the great house) too was open to all. Anybody could come and eat every day at Mahamane. 

Anubhava Mantapa encouraged free, open dialogue in the form of vachanas too. The idea of democratic discussions flourished there. There was space for self-criticism, social criticism, mutual criticism and philosophical enquiries. Not that all the vachanas were composed in the Mantapa, but the Mantapa set the tone and tenor of the vachanas in general.       

The vachanas were based on the ‘anubhava’ (experience) of the poets. They drew their images from day-to-day life. Vachanas used a rhythm that mirrored speech, and drew idioms from the poets’ occupations. The verses recorded the poets’ experiential truths and reached one and all. As the poets uttered their vachanas, Shantarasa, the scribe, would record them on palm leaves. 

An example to follow

A model of the Anubhava Mantapa to be built in Basavakalyana. 

Now that the Legislative Assembly of Karnataka has housed a portrait of the Anubhava Mantapa, it should inspire and guide our lawmakers. In the history of the Legislative Assembly of Karnataka, there used to be glimpses of an Anubhava Mantapa at times. Legislators have brought their in-depth knowledge into discussions. Vachanas are cited in the Assembly, and during the presentation of the annual budgets, quite regularly. 

After the unveiling ceremony on December 9, 2024, it was heartening to see our lawmakers making sensible points in the Assembly on the significance of the Anubhava Mantapa. There was an apparent serene atmosphere in the Assembly. One hopes that the tradition continues. Basavanna’s Anubhava Mantapa could not take up larger economic issues, and the present Assembly could start from where the Sharanas left. 

An artistic depiction of the Anubhava Mantapa.

Veteran scholar M M Kalburgi once made a distinction between the matha and the mantapa. “Our ideal should be mantapa, which is open, and not the matha, which is static,”  he had said. It is time, along with the lawmakers, for religious leaders to revisit and redefine the ideal of Anubhava Mantapa. The message of Anubhava Mantapa should inspire our public debates and informal discussions, where participants have ceased to see the need for a healthy exchange of ideas.