Devar Dasimayya

Devar Dasimayya (ದೇವರ ದಾಸಿಮಯ್ಯ), also known as Jedara Daasimayya (ಜೇಡರ ದಾಸಿಮಯ್ಯ), was an Indian mid-11th century poet and vachanakaara in Kannada. He was one of the first propagators of devangism. He was born in Mudanuru, a village in Shorapur Taluk, Yadagiri district in Karnataka. Being a weaver by profession, His village had a Ramanatha temple among its many temples, dedicated to Shiva as worshiped by Rama, the epic hero and incarnation of Vishnu. That is why Dasimayya's signature name (ankitanama) is Ramanatha, meaning Rama's Lord, i.e. Shiva.

Dasimayya's vachanas are dedicated to Ramanatha. He was one of the earliest propagator of the

Dasimayya was performing intense ascetic practices in a jungle, when he claimed Shiva appeared to him. He allegedly told him to work in the practical world. As a result, Dasimayya renounced his practices and took up the trade of a weaver. He is also known as Jedar Dasimayya, "Dasimayya of the weavers". Today there is a large community of weavers called Devanga spread across the southern states of India who follow Devara Dasimayya.[1]

Today, popular tradition identifies several places where Dasimayya set up his weaver's looms in Mudanuru.

Like most that followed him, he taught a life of complete nonviolence, even teaching local hunting tribes to renounce meat and provide for themselves through pressing and selling oil.

Dasimayya married Duggale, who grew up in Shivapura. He later became a teacher, eventually giving initiation to the wife of the local Chalukya king Jayasimha, Suggale.[2]