A large number of people gathered at Shivaji Park to observe Mahaparinirvan Divas on the occasion of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s 63rd death anniversary on Friday.
The ground was divided into segmented spaces allotted for food and stalls selling books and various items like photos of Dr. Ambedkar and lord Buddha, calenders, necklaces and bracelets.
A huge statue of Dr. Ambedkar was positioned on top of a stage at one end of the ground, where followers stood patiently in long queues to get a chance to garland the sculpture.
Everyone present at the venue was in high spirits and the streets were bustling with drum beats and revolutionary slogans.
‘A great man’
Meena Wahag (32), from Kalyan was at the venue with her husband to sell portraits of Dr. Ambedkar and lord Buddha. A Buddhist and avid follower of Dr. Ambedkar, Ms. Wahag said, “Babasaheb Ambedkar has done a lot not just for Dalit groups but also for other minority communities. We come every year on this day to pay homage to this great man.”
Ms. Wahag said earlier people from minority groups faced violence and oppression and were not allowed to board trains or touch water. “Babasaheb worked endlessly towards eradicating discrimination against the oppressed,” said Dwarika, another vendor at the venue.
Many socio-political and cultural groups used the occasion to make people aware of their agendas on political issues. Cultural groups, through their street plays, music and art, kept the visitors entertained and informed.
Helping underprivileged
Members of Face of Ambedkarite Movement (FAM), a non-government organisation based in Mumbai, spoke about encouraging the involvement of youth through an illustrative medium. They put up a makeshift board made to look like a Facebook wall and encouraged passers-by, especially young people, to write messages on specific issues. They also collected a huge number of notebooks and pens from donors for distribution among the underprivileged.
“We collect these items on December 5 and 6 and give them out on January 3, which is the birth anniversary of Savitribai Phule. In the interim, we identify government schools and make a list of them,” a representative of FAM said.
Many volunteers from several non-governmental organisations in the city contributed towards keeping the venue free of litter, especially the food court.
