(The Asian Independent)
– Mangesh Dahiwale (06/06/2020)
Shanti Swaroop Bauddh breathed his last today and many messages of condolences started flowing in. Just a few days back, Sahab was speaking on Ayodhya as a Buddhist place on the Facebook live and his energy was fresh and his enthusiasm was lively though Sahab was older he was always young for the movement.
Sahab pioneered a literary movement with a strong stress on art. I went to his house in New Delhi two decades back and I saw a factory of art work where beautiful paintings on the life of the Buddha, Buddhist saints, Bahujan saints, life and different moods of Babasaheb Ambedkar were produced. There will be hardly any Ambedkarite house, at least, in north India, where the rich iconography developed by Sahab has not reached. The paintings were fresh, creative, and they conveyed movement in some form.
The mass copies of paintings like Babasaheb writing, Babasaheb reading, and working are sold in millions. Now in the era of internet, these images are widely available, but prior to this, people bought them in various sites of movement gatherings like Chaityabhoomi, Deekshabhoomi, Parliament street, Lucknow, to name a few.
Samyak Prakashan has a permanent stall in Deekshabhoomi where Sahab personally came many times.
Another important contribution Samyak Prakashan did was publishing literature. It published small books and large books, but the small books were like dynamite. Sahab developed an entire series on Buddha’s leading disciples which encapsulated the lives of the Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis. He published mass copies so that public can be educated through literature. His books went all over the places and Ambedkarite houses.
Sahab produced an artistic reprint of the Buddha and His Dhamma. Beautiful paintings with Buddhist theme were included in this artistic rendition of the Buddha and His Dhamma. Sahab paid detailed attention to every painting in this special project.
Besides contributing through paintings and books, Sahab contributed a lot by arranging Buddhist and Ambedkarite conferences. Whenever he could, he traveled widely.
We spoke a few months back when Sahab wanted a high resolution copy of Babasaheb’s photo in the court. He was in the process of publishing all the photos of Babasaheb Ambedkar in a very special and artistic way. He was always eager to help and did not neglect a small request. Once I needed a copy of Devidayal’s Daily Routine of Babasaheb Ambedkar published by Sahab, he personally ensured that the copies are sent. He didn’t neglect anyone, such was a love in his heart. Always cheerful and ready to help, Sahab helped many young and upcoming artists.
We lost a great man who is one of the pioneers of the Ambedkarite movement in our times and his contribution is unique and lasting for the images of movement he created and books he produced will continue to inspire our generations to come.
Jai Bhim and Namo Buddhaya to you, Sahab Shanti Swaroop Bauddh!
