Basavanna spread social awareness through his poetry, popularly known as "Vachanaas". Basavanna rejected gender or social discrimination, superstitions and rituals but introduced "Ishtalinga" necklace, with an image of the Shiva Liṅga, to every person regardless of his or her birth, to be a constant reminder of one's bhakti (devotion) to Shiva. As the chief minister of his kingdom, he introduced new public institutions such as the "Anubhava Mantapa" (or, the "hall of spiritual experience"), which welcomed men and women from all socio-economic backgrounds to discuss spiritual and mundane questions of life, in open.