Mahaparinirwan Diwas – 6th Dec

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar passed away on the 6^th December 1956. Today the nation paid tribute to the Father of the Indian Constitution.

As usual not much coverage was given by the national media, despite the gathering of Dr. Ambedkar’s followers at Chaityabhoomi, Dadar, Mumbai being one of the biggest in the country!

Here are some news clips that appeared in the internet …

Tributes paid to Ambedkar on 'Mahaparinirwan Diwas'

New Delhi | December 06, 2005 4:25:50 PM IST

http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=183029&n_date=20051206&cat=India

The Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjeee offered floral tributes at the tastefully decorated statue of Bharat Ratna Babasahib Dr. B R Ambedkar on his 50th Mahapari nirwan Diwas at a function on the lawns of Parliament House this morning.

Other prominent leaders who paid floral homage to Babasahib included, the Chairperson of the National Advisory Council Sonia Gandhi, Deputy Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal, and Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha K Rahman Khan.

Union Ministers Shiv Raj Patil, Meira Kumar, Priyaranjan Dashmunsi, Kumari Selja, Panabaka Lakshm, Chief Minister of Delhi Sheila Dixit, Former Prime Minister Shri V.P. Singh, and Former Union Minister Dr. Satyanarayan Jatiya were also offered a tribute to the Father of the Indian Constitution, Dr. Ambedkar.

Thousands of people visited the Parliament House complex since morning to pay tributes to the messiah of the marginalized and downtrodden sections of society among chanting of slogans 'Baba Sahib Amar Rahe'.

Bodh Bhikshus rendered religious songs on the occasion. (ANI)

Thousands visit Chaitya Bhoomi to pay homage to Ambedkar

Mumbai | December 06, 2005 10:45:26 PM IST

http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=183422&cat=India

Thousands of people from across the country today thronged the ''Chaitya Bhoomi'' at Dadar here to pay homage to the architect of the Indian Constitution Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar on his 50th death anniversary.

A large number of people from all over the country, unfailingly, visit the Chaitya Bhoomi, Dr Ambedkar's memorial, to pay homage on December six every year.

Thousands of people, waving blue flags, marched to the Shivaji Park ground.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had made elaborate arrangement for the convenience of the people at the Chaitya Bhoomi. Over 200 toilets and washing rooms were set up besides providing for water tankers and other facilities.

Remembering Dr Ambedkar
http://in.rediff.com/news/2005/dec/06look.htm

December 06, 2005

The nation today remembered Dr B R Amedkar, architect of the Indian constitution, on his 50th death anniversary.

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and a number of Union Ministers paid floral tributes at a function on the lawns of Parliament house this morning, an official release said.

Members of Parliament cuttin

g across party lines and large numbers of people from different walks of life attended the Mahaparinirman function. Buddhist monks also recited from the sutras and rendered religious songs on the occasion.

Traffic grinds to halt as lakhs pay homage

DNA Correspondent, Wednesday, December 07, 2005 01:00 IST

http://dnaindia.com

Strategic junctions and roads near Dadar, Shivaji Park and Bandra witnessed massive traffic congestion as Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti was observed on Tuesday. Lakhs of followers of Dr BR Ambedkar gathered at Chaityabhoomi, Shivaji Park, to pay tributes to the architect of the Indian Constitution on his 49th death anniversary.

Over five lakh visitors conv

erged in Mumbai from across Maharashtra as well as the neighbouring states to participate in Ambedkar’s ‘Mahaparinirvan Din’ function. Policemen, numbering in thousands, were deployed near Shivaji Park. Twelve senior officers were on duty in and around Shivaji Park. The traffic department put up a number of signs at various junctions to indicate the direction of traffic.

For the convenience of Ambedkar followers, BMC authorities have set up a control room at Chaityabhoomi. A temporary fire station, 100 mobile toilets, 150 bathrooms, health centres, railway reservation counters and telephone centres have also been set up. Even railway authorities ran special trains to ferry travellers.

Dr. Ambedkar is a God to Me!

http://www.cybernoon.com/DisplayArticle.asp?section=fromthepress&subsection=inbombay&xfile=December2005_inbombay_standard8432

Staff Reporter | Tue

sday, December 06, 2005 11:29:19 IST

From remote villages they come to pay homage on his death anniversary

Thirty-five year old Ram Singh is one of the many devotees of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar has come from his Gwalior to worship the architect of the Indian constitution. “I come here every year with my family to pay my respects to Babasaheb. He is my god and this is the least I can do to honour the great man.”

One of the many who are in the city to observe Dr Ambedkar’s punyatithi, Ram Singh says he prefers to stay at Gateway. Why so? “It is a good place to be but the organiser has made good arrangements for us and so we go there at night to utilise the same.” Ask him how he manages his boarding expenses whilst in the city as well as other basic necessities, Singh says, “We eat food, which we bring along with us from home. We bring edibles that will last for three to four days and if that stock is exhausted, we try to get it from some restaurant. If nothing, we go to Shivaji Park to have a meal there. We also use the toilet and bathing facilities provided to us there,” informs Singh.

In fact, arrangement have been made near the Chaitya Bhoomi for this year’s punyatithi with stalls selling Babasaheb-related memorabilia. There is literature, candles, flowers to be offered at stupa, amulets, food items and pictures too. Lakhs of people all over the country come to this Chaitya Bhoomi to offer their prayers to Babasaheb Ambedkar and visit his Samadhi at Shivaji Park. The state too has made arrangements for the devotees’ stay at Shivaji Park with proper toilets and bathing facilities. Food and water facilities are also provided from the fund raised through donation. However, many devotees spend their day at the Gateway of India while they retire for the night at the Chaitya Bhoomi.

Vijay Kumar from Nanded who comes with his family of 12 people every year, is a keen devotee of Dr Ambedkar. “I bring my entire family every year because this occasion comes once a year when I can offer prayer to Babasaheb and I don’t wan to miss it. We eat food which we bring along and use the facilities provided by government near the Chaitya Bhoomi.”

However, not all devotees bank on the services provided by the state. Some of them prefer not to use the facilities and manage on their own. Ramakant Shinde is one such followers.

Says Shinde, “I have been coming here for the past three years and I never use the facilities at Shivaji Park because the place is very crowded and moreover it’s very difficult to manage a place there.”

Shinde says he prefers to put up elsewhere and have a good outing here and get the darshan of the Samadhi, “which is the main reason that brings me here.”

Some of the devotes prepare their own food by bring along the necessity infrastructure with them. “We prepare our own food here as we cannot afford the costly dishes of restaurants in Mumbai. We bring all necessary food items with us and prepare it here,” said Laxmibai a resident of Karnataka.

Ramdin, a photographer at the Gateway said, “These people are like god to me, they come here, click pictures from us and make our day. I wish they would stay here for a longer time.”

As Babasaheb Ambedkar’s punyatithi approaches

http://www.cybernoon.com/DisplayArticle.asp?section=fromthepress&subsection=inbombay&xfile=December2005_inbombay_standard8430

Monday, December 05, 2005 9:43:2 IST

Visiting devotees look forward to city sojourn, Shivaji Park and thereabout residents await visitors’ departure..

Last year, officially 19 lakh people had gathered at Chaitya Bhoomi at Shivaji Park on December 6. This year, more crowds are expected. They are already here, in droves, come from all over and enjoying a brief sojourn in Mumbai, after December 6.

Arrangements at the Chaitya Bhoomi are nearing completion. The stalls are in place selling Babasaheb-related literature, candles, flowers to be offered at stupa, amulets, food items and photographs. While organisers are proud about this the annual function Shivaji Park’s highbrow residents have nothing but complaints to be make about the visitors.

“The state has made arrangements for their stay at Shivaji Park. They have toilets, bathing facility provided to them. The Buddhist Society of India which overlooks arrangements at the Chaitya Bhoomi, provides food and water facilities from the funds raised through donations,” said B Sangapal, in-charge at the place.

Though the crowds have already started pouring in from all over the country, as could be seen from the fact that one Bhikshu Buddha Ratna had come all the way from Uttar Pradesh and other Bhudant Budhpal had come from Akola since November 29 with the intention to stay at Chaitya Bhumi till Thursday though the actual function will be held tomorrow.

“Meeratai Ambedkar, daughter-in-law of Babasaheb, will take the Samata Sainik Dal Salute at midnight on December 5 followed by recitation of Dr Ambedkar’s teachings. After this, the stupa gates will be opened for everyone,” said Sangpal.

However, it could be only the visitors who grab the opportunity to visit the city of Mumbai. No one else is happy about the arrangements. The maintainers of the Chaitya Bhoomi are not satisfied in spite of the fact that the state provides facilities such as water, toilet and other facilities.

According to them, the brass column was done three years back when Sushilkumar Shinde was the Chief Minister but there has been no progress thereafter. The work is stagnated. Four lions and a Ashoka charka is to be put up on the column, the arc at the front is to be decorated and is to be built at the rear of the Chaitya Bhoomi and the Stupa built in 1968 by Yashwantrao alias Bhayasaheb Ambedkar in 1968 requires repairs.

“This government headed by Vilasrao Deshmukh is indifferent towards the whole thing. The CM had promised many things in the election agenda but now he says that it’s a central government issue. This is sheer cheating,” said Sangapal.

Meanwhile, for Shivaji Park residents, the week on either side of December 7, is nothing less than a nightmare, which the end of which they await anxiously. The unruly crowd not only makes the sea water dirty but they bathe on the streets, mess up Shivaji Park, eat, spit and litter the roads, wash their dirty clothes in public places.

“The place has already started stinking and this will go on for some time now. It’s a one-day function but it is a real nuisance we have to bear with,” said a resident. Another said that he wished they had found some remote place for all these functions.

Rich tributes paid to Ambedkar

http://www.andhracafe.com/index.php?m=show&id=1988

Updated: 12-06-2005 By andhracafe

People from all walks of life paid rich tributes to the architect of the constitution of India, Dr. B R Ambedkar during his 49th death anniversary today.

Fight against untouchability and Casteism

As a leading Indian scholar, Ambedkar had been invited to testify before the Southborough Committee, which was preparing the Government of India Act 1919. At this hearing, Ambedkar argued for creating separate electorates and reservations for Dalits and other religious communities. In 1920, he began the publication of the weekly Mooknayak (Leader of the Silent) in Mumbai. Attaining popularity, Ambedkar used this journal to criticize orthodox Hindu politicians and a perceived reluctance of the Indian political community to fight caste discrimination. His speech at a Depressed Classes Conference in Kolhapur impressed the local state ruler Shahu IV, who shocked orthodox society by dining with Ambekdar . Ambedkar established a successful legal practise, and also organised the Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha to promote education and socio-economic uplifting of the depressed classes. In 1926, he became a nominated member of the Bombay Legislative Council. By 1927 Dr. Ambedkar decided to launch active movements against untouchability. He began with public movements and marches to open up and share public drinking water resources, also he began a struggle for the right to enter Hindu temples. He led a satyagraha in Mahad to fight for the right of the untouchable community to draw water from the main water tank of the town.

He was appointed to the Bombay Presidency Committee to work with the all-European Simon Commission in 1928. This commission had sparked great protests across India, and while its report was ignored by most Indians, Ambedkar himself wrote a separate set of recommendations for future constitutional reforms.

In December 1935, Dr Ambedkar presided over the "Jaat-Paat Todak Mandal' (Caste-Creed Breaking Party). Shri Sant Ram was the organizer of this party. The speech that Ambedkar gave in this function was talked about in the whole of India. Afterwards, Ambedkar turned his speech into a booklet and published it with the caption 'Annihilation of Caste'.
In this booklet, Dr Ambedkar writes "During the Peshwas' rule, if a high-caste Hindu was walking on the road, the low-caste Hindus didn't have the permission to walk on the same road lest the former becomes impure by the shadow of latter. It was necessary that every low caste Hindu tie a black thread on his wrist or neck so that the high-caste Hindus recognized him and did not touch him by mistake. In the Peshwas' capital Poona, it was the royal edict that the untouchables tie a broom on their waists and walk so that their footprints, which were etched on the ground, would be removed by the broom because if the footprints of the high-caste Hindus had fallen on those footprints, they would have become impure".

There are four classes of people in a society — Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. Different tasks have been delegated to different classes, which is a social injustice. It is a personal matter of a person to choose the work he wants to do and to do it; the society has no right to dictate certain jobs for selected people.