October 14, 1956 marks one of the largest religious conversions in history sans any bloodshed. Dr B.R. Ambedkar, born a Hindu ‘untouchable’, converted to Buddhism along with five lakh of his followers, mostly from the Dalit community, in Nagpur on this historic day.
Ambedkar battled against caste discrimination despite being an outstanding scholar and among the highest learned men of his time. After higher studies in the universities of Columbia and London School of Economics, Ambedkar returned to India and emerged as the undisputed leader of the Dalit community during two of his greatest agitations or satyagrahas – The Mahad water tank movement and Kalaram temple entry movement. He faced opposition by caste Hindus against those from the Dalit drinking water and entering the temple.
After 21 years, he would leave Hinduism along with lakhs of his followers. Every year thousands of people flock the Deekshabhoomi to commemorate this day.
Ambedkar rejected Hinduism not just because of the life-long discrimination he faced, but for his quest for a religion of equality for the downtrodden. He saw Buddha as a path of liberation, not just on the personal front but for society as a whole. From his childhood, Buddha had an influence on Ambedkar’s life ever since Dada Keluskar, a Bahujan intellectual and follower of Mahatma Phule, gifted him a book on the life of Gautam Buddha.
While Ambedkar chose Nagpur city, Mumbai was also in the discussion as the place where the conversion could take place. After the conversion, Dr. Ambedkar said, “A few people say that since the large platoon of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is in Nagpur, just to embarrass them this ceremony is being held in this city. However, it is not true. Those who have studied Buddhist history will come to know that the people who propagated Buddhism in India were the Nag people. Nag people were the fierce enemy of the Aryans. Many fierce battles took place between the Aryans and the Non-Aryans. Many examples are available in the Puranas about where the Aryans burnt the Nagas. The sage Agasti could save only one Naga. We are his descendants. The Naga people who tolerated oppression needed some great man to uplift them and they found that great man in Lord Gautam Buddha. The Nagas propagated the teachings of Lord Buddha throughout India. Such are we Nagas. The major habitation of the Naga people was in and around Nagpur. Therefore this city is called ‘Nag-pur’ [which] means the city of Nagas.”
Ambedkar rejected the caste-system and he was expressed his stance clearly while addressing the gathering. “There is Chaturvrana in Manusmriti. Chaturvrana system is very harmful for the progress of mankind. It has been mentioned in the Manusmruti that Shudras should do only menial service. Why do they need education? The Brahmin should take education, Kshatriya should take up arms, Vaishya should do business and Shudra should serve. Who will unfold this system? Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaishya have some gain, but what about Shudras? Will there be any enthusiasm in other castes except these three varnas?
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He was convinced that Buddhism was the forward looking religion for the untouchables. He responded to the caste Hindus who were critical of his conversion, “We will follow our path, you follow yours. We have found a new path. This is the day of hope. This is the path of elevation and progress. This is not the new path. This path has not been borrowed from anywhere. This path is from here, it is purely Indian. The Buddhist religion survived here for 2,000 years in India. Truly speaking, we feel regretful why we did not embrace Buddhism earlier. The principles preached by the Lord Buddha are immortal.”
Due to the 1957 general elections, some prominent political leaders and followers of Ambedkar participated in the Diksha in Nagpur half-heartedly, concerned about how conversion might affect their chances of winning the polls. Meanwhile, Ambedkar’s enthusiastic associates in Mumbai felt slightly disappointed that he did not choose their city for the first conversion.
In a letter written to Dadasaheb Gaikwad, whom he affectionately called Bhaurao, Ambedkar acknowledged the disappointment among the people of Mumbai regarding the choice of Nagpur for his first Diksha ceremony. He reassured Gaikwad that while the initial ceremony would take place in Nagpur, similar events would follow in Mumbai and across India.
Ambedkar had set the date of December 16 for the Diksha event in Mumbai that year. Similar events were planned across other places like Solapur. However, he died unexpectedly in Delhi on December 6, 1956.
On December 7, Ambedkar’s body was brought to Mumbai by plane, where thousands of people waited in shock and grief. Ambedkar was only 65 years old. By the time preparations were done for his funeral, according to one estimate, around 10 lakh people had gathered at Mumbai’s Dadar beach, thinking about their beloved Babasaheb’s body which was going to be consigned to flames soon. Scores of Babasaheb’s aides, activists and journalists were present. The Congress government and BMC commissioner declined permission for Ambedkar’s funeral at Shivaji Park ground (it was under a Congress government much later that Bal Thackeray was cremated at this place with state honours). The cremation finally happened near the beach, on land that was owned by Ambedkar’s aid C.K Bale.
Lakhs of people walked at snail’s pace from Rajgriha (his house) to Dadar and waited for the last rites to be carried out in pin drop silence. Historian J.V. Pawar wrote, “Just before final rites, all of a sudden, Dadasaheb Gaikwad stood up and spoke on the microphone ‘Babasaheb was going to give Dhamma Diksha on 16 December, by coming to Mumbai walking on his own feet, and going to hold your hands to take you to the Buddha. But the opposite has happened. Today Babasaheb is not here but his body is on the pyre, let’s embrace Buddhism as per his advise. Bhadanta Anand Kausalyayan will impart the Diksha to you. Those who agree to this may raise their hands” The crowd responded to this appeal and the Bhante converted around 10 lakh people”
After Monk Anand Kausalyayan administered the Diksha in Pali language, Shankaranand Shastri (Ambedkar’s associate) asked all to obey the five precepts of Buddha.
A larger conversion than Nagpur had taken place in Mumbai. The Nagpur conversion had about half the number of attendees and it was cheerful. But in Mumbai, though the crowd was almost double, they were in grief and still wanted to carry forward Babasaheb’s wishes. Three days later, when the ashes were being collected at the same place, around 3 lakh people had gathered. Many who could not reach Mumbai on December 6 were present that day. Bhadanta Ananda Kausalyayan once again gave Diksha to all. Pawar wrote, “In two days about 1.3 million people had embraced Buddhism in Mumbai”
This conversion is not much talked about. While Pawar has written about this in his book Post Ambedkar, Ambedkarite movement, the CID report too confirms that mass conversion did happen on December 7, while Ambedkar was on a sandalwood funeral pyre, fulfilling his wish of conducting dharma Diksha in Mumbai.
Each year, thousands of people visit the Deekshabhoomi memorial in Nagpur and voluntarily embrace Buddha’s Path to mark the day of Ambedkar’s conversion on October 14.
