How a cultural revolution by Dr Ambedkar changed lives of millions of Dalits in India
-Vidya Bhushan Rawat
THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK – The biggest non violent changes in the history of Independent India came through a cultural revolution unleashed in Nagpur on October 14th, 1956 when millions of India’s Dalits, formerly known as untouchables, embraced the eight fold path of Lord Buddha, under the guidance of Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar, chief architect of India’s constitution. Over 400000 followers of Dr Ambedkar took #Deeksha and celebrations were not merely for a single day but continued for many days in Nagpur as well as Chandrapur. The place where Dr Ambedkar gave people #Deeksha in Buddhism is now known as Deekshabhumi at Nagpur. While as per the English calender day, it was October 14th, 1956 but it was the day of Dussera or what is known as Vijayadashmi which is celebrated all over India as mark of Lord Rama’s victory over Ravana but Dr Ambedkar redefined the entire event as per Buddhist narrative and accordingly, it is known as Asoka Vijayadashmi or Dhammachakrapravartan Day. Basically, Dr Ambedkar actually defined Buddhism as not only a way of life which was humanist and rational but also kind of ‘liberation philosophy’ for millions of those who were victims of the discriminatory caste system. He termed it as Navayana, or a new path starkly different than the other forms of Buddhism which focusses more on rituals and mysticism. Every years, millions of people visit to Deekshabhumi from different parts of the country but predominantly from Maharashtra and the celebrations actually continue for several days. #Deekshabhumi reflect the idea of a democratic cultural revolution Ironically, #Nagpur outside is projected as the place where #RSS was born but a fact we must understand that at least during the #dhammachakrapravartandin or what is also known as Ashokavijayadashmi day, the Buddhist traditions in #Nagpur outshine over any other festivities. I have been to Nagpur during this period many times and felt immense proud in the celebrations.
India’s casteist as well as capitalist media in Delhi focus more on the event and speeches of the RSS chief, the patron of the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party, who celebrate Vijayadashmi every year in Nagpur to mark the birth of their organisation. They worship arms and speak about their idea of India. Obviously, such an exclusive idea where the brahmanical dominance would keep people subjugated is unacceptable but coincidently it is the same Nagpur, where Dr Ambedkar actually brought a much bigger revolution in Dhamma but the focus of Indian media is more on RSS programme which never has the kind of presence, not even one tenth of what we see at the Deekshabhumi. The media does not report about Deekshabhumi event because it is the very antithesis of the brahmanical value system.
Baba Saheb Ambedkar that way is the propagator of the #Dhammakranti in India but India’s #Manustream media has no time for it as it wait to listen to the brahmanical sermons of the Sangh parivar, the very antithesis of #Ambedkarism. Speaking about the criminality of Indian media not reporting the massive public presence to pay tribute to Baba Saheb Ambedkar at the Deekshabhumi, eminent Ambedkarite, author and thinker Mr Ujjwal Uke says, ‘ Yesterday I was reading in Loksatta about 6 melas on Dussehra. RSS, both Shiv Sena’s, Pankaja Munde’s, Jarange Patil’s and last they mentioned Dhammachakra sammelan.
The last one has crowds far more than all the remaining 5 combined.
Each of the other 5 require a leader who gives a call and I’m sure arrangements to get people to listen, are made by the organisers.
The beauty of Ambedkarism is that no leader is needed for lakhs to gather in Nagpur. This year many came in luxury AC buses from Karnataka, Punjab and other states, paying from their own pockets, contrary to the dirty propaganda by media that Ambedkarites ride free in trains.
The whole Nagpur city was a riot of white and off white with lakhs congregating for the event. Silently moving, with not a single case of any youth looking askance or misbehaving.
Today’s photo of lathi wielding people in Reshim bagh, revealed around 650 and that was all that Loksatta showed of the crowds in today’s paper. The total crowd may not have exceeded 5000.
The tragedy of media is that their upper caste leanings force them to propagate organisations which have hardly any following by rational people.
Reality hits hard every Dussehra with the quantity and quality of Ambedkarites rising logarithmically.
Leaders across the board have been rejected by Ambedkarites as pygmies who’ve sold themselves. None of them show their faces on Dussehra or 6th Dec/ 14th April in Chaitya Bhoomi.
With Jan 1st Bhima Koregaon diwas, and 14th January as Namantar diwas in Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad), the movement is growing leaps and bounds.
The reality of Ambedkarites slowly and silently disrupting the spaces traditionally occupied by upper castes be it in administration, education, business or statesmanship, is a fact which no one can ignore.
Another 10 years and the edifice of upper caste hegemony will face collapse like nine pins.’ Mr Ujjwal Uke has explained things so categorically in his response to my article which I have now included here as they are extremely important and valid point.
This year, the Sangh i.e. the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh or popularly known as RSS, celebrated its 100 years. It was great that they have a government in power and the devotees are building up their narrative in the media but the power of ideology and revolution lies not in how many time you are in power but the power of common person.
Baba Saheb’s Dhamma kranti has revolutionised the minds of the people. Just one example of it and you will understand the power of Ambedkarism as a cultural force even if it did not succeed politically that much.
RSS has always been worried about being leveled as an organisation dominated by the #Brahmins and it is. There is no doubt about it. Look at the number of the Sarsanghchalaks and their jaatis. Except for Rajju Bhaiya, who happened to be a Rajput from Uttar Pradesh, most of the Sarsanghchalak actually emerged from Maharashtra’s chitpawan brahmin group.
Anyway, this year, the Sangh wanted an important #Dalit figure so Dr Kamal Gavai, the mother of Chief Justice of India was invited. She is an Ambedkarite and follow Buddhism. It came into the news that she has ‘accepted’ the invite. This news created deep resentment among the Ambedkarites in Maharashtra and they condemned her decision. It was a powerful rebuff which forced Dr Kamal Gavai to finally opt out of the programme. She wrote an open letter to the people.
She said, ‘As soon as the news of the programme was published, many people started criticising and levelling allegations at not only me but late Dadasaheb Gavai (her husband, former Bihar Governor R S Gavai). We have lived our lives as per (Dr B R) Ambedkar’s ideology, while Dadasaheb Gavai dedicated his life to the Ambedkarite movement. Sharing our ideology on the platform of different ideologies is also important, which needs courage.’
Obviously, she still was unhappy leaving and said, ‘If I had been on the dais (at the October 5 RSS function), I would have put forward the Ambedkarite ideology,”.
Salute to #Ambedkarites in Maharahstra for their uncompromising stand that forced Dr Kamal Gavai to withdraw. Ambedkarism can not compromise with those who propagate brahmanical values and justify all those religious texts which #babasaheb critiqued and wanted people to do away with.
Power of Ambedkarism is in idealism and asking uncomfortable questions even from those who claim to be Ambedkarites. Remember, there was not much protests or any other things against Dr Gavai but there was resentment among the people which she understood well. This is the power of culture and Maharashtra’s Ambedkarites have shown it. This is the power of cultural revolution that Baba Saheb have brought.
It is good that Dr Kamal Gavai respected the sentiments of the Ambedkarite and decided to opt out of the event. A True Ambedkarite would understand the sentiments of the people and never go against them. The power of #Dhammachakra has shown us the way, let the flag of #Dhamma fly all over. India need cultural revolution defined by Baba Saheb in the true humanist rationalist values and philosophy of Lord Buddha, whose universe would be not gods but human beings.
