Vinay D. Damodar
Dhammachakra Pravartan Day has been celebrated in Akola for the past 38 years. For the past 38 years, a ceremony has been held at the Akola Cricket Club ground on the second day of Dussehra. But for the past 38 years, Prakash Ambedkar has been the main attraction and keynote speaker of this function. Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Day occupies the same place in the political journey of Prakash Ambedkar as the Dussehra gathering of the Shiv Sena on ‘Shivatirtha’. The seeds and path of Prakash Ambedkar’s political movement throughout the year are determined by his speech at the Dhammachakra Pravartan Day gathering.
Dhammachakra Pravartan Day celebrations have been going on uninterruptedly in Akola district for many years. A single leader, a huge procession, huge response, overflowing enthusiasm, arenas, lazim squads, a self-disciplined group of thousands, extremely obedient workers, an ever-increasing crowd, disciplined organization of the Buddhist Mahasabha of India and a public meeting that gives political and social direction to Maharashtra. Such an annual Shirasta…is organized every year by the joint efforts of the erstwhile Bharip Bahujan Federation (now Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi) and the Buddhist Mahasabha of India. Adv. Under the leadership of Balasaheb Ambedkar, these ‘massive processions and public meetings’ have played a major role in accelerating the ‘Akola pattern’ on the political scene of Maharashtra. Akola district has seen many changes in three generations on this occasion. But, right from the very first Dhammachakra Pravartan Day celebration, Adv. Balasaheb Ambedkar is the highlight of this year’s celebrations. It has been like this for 38 consecutive years. The history of organizing this festival is equally remarkable. The Chhotekhani program started with a vision by the old knowledgeable activists and office bearers has gradually acquired a grand form.
Akola district was the stronghold of the movement. After Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s leadership emerged on the socio-political horizon of India, this district stood behind him with great strength. Ambedkari Movement Kalapathkas, Geetkars, Shahirs, Jalse, Kalapathkas, Dandaris, Bhajani Mandals kept the fire of awareness burning continuously. The inaugural ceremony of the Scheduled Castes’ Federation was held at Akola on 9th and 10th December 1945 in the presence of Babasaheb. The work of Indian Buddhist Mahasabha, Samata Sainik Dal, ‘Shekafe’ started at a great pace. Bhaiyyasaheb Ambedkar also visited this district five times. The Indian Buddhist Mahasabha (Bhartiya Boudh Mahasabha) and the Samata Sainik Dal were particularly dominant. Also, the first meeting of the Presidium of the Republican Party was also held in Akola on 28, 29 and 30 December 1957. Following Babasaheb’s call to accept Buddhism, Akola had accepted Buddhism 100%. In the 1901 census, no Buddhists were recorded in the Akola (Washim United) district; but after accepting the Dhamma in 1956, in the 1961 census, two hundred and forty-two thousand four hundred and sixty-four Buddhists were recorded. Akola had the reputation of being a district with great loyalty to Ambedkar. Therefore, the young Balasaheb was accepted as a leader on the very first day. After Bhaiyyasaheb Ambedkar, the functionaries of the Indian Buddhist Mahasabha succeeded in increasing the worship of Mahaupasika Meeratai Ambedkar and Balasaheb in this district.
It started like this…
On August 14, 1980, the grandson of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Adv. Prakash (Balasaheb) Ambedkar, first arrived in Akola. Since 1980, Balasaheb has been working in Akola. Meetings and programs were organised. Dhamma movement was effective in Akola after Dhammadiksha. Indian Buddhist Mahasabha was functioning in the district. With the arrival of Balasaheb, a political structure was formed and the 1984 Lok Sabha elections were contested. On 31 October 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated. As a result, there was a wave of sympathy for the Congress in the 1984 Lok Sabha elections. Opinions were sought on Indira Gandhi’s sacrifice. Meanwhile, Jana Sangh became Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980. BJP nominated Pandurang Pundkar, a two-time MLA in Khamgaon assembly constituency in Akola. At that time, they were making an emotional demand of ‘one rupee, one vote’ for party funds. Balasaheb had contested the election on the symbol of Taraju. Balasaheb got 1,75,664 votes in the election which he contested on his own. Madhusudan Vairale of Indira Congress won by a margin of only 13,210 votes. Pandurang Pundkar of BJP got 1,48,909 votes. He was ranked third. Out of 7,36,060 voters, 5,24,199 voters exercised their right to vote. In other words, 71% voting was done. Out of them, Madhusudan Vairale of Indira Congress got 34.86% votes and Balasaheb 32.17% votes. Pandurang Pundkar of BJP got 29.02% votes. Total fourteen candidates stood for election. But the fight was three-way. The 1,65,664 votes received in the first election gave Ambedkari workers energy.
I am very thankful to Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, Akola, for the information.
The idea of starting Dhammachakra Pravartan ceremony was suggested during a discussion at the railway station. This idea was born while sending off Balasaheb Ambedkar at the railway station in Shegaon after a programme. Balasaheb had a meeting at Khamgaon. After the meeting, activists from Akola, Lankeshwar Guruji, Gunwantrao Patil, P. R. Mahajan, B.R.Sirsat and Srikrishna Wankhade left. The activists of that time had the energy to constantly innovate and mobilize people. While the discussion about organization building was going on, the issue of Dhammachakra Pravartan Day celebration was raised. Indignation was expressed that Babasaheb’s family had no place on Diksha Bhoomi. Also a large number of Buddhist followers who had gone to Nagpur had returned. Due to the huge crowd there were inadequate facilities to return to various villages of Washim, Marathwada, Buldhana and Akola districts at night; they had to spend the night at the railway station. At that time they had no choice but to come to Akola as the way to reach Marathwada was by train and buses. Also, there was no facility to go to the villages in Akola district. Throughout the night, their wives, children, daughters, mothers and fathers suffered inconvenience. It was agreed that we should do something for them.
On the lines of Nagpur, there was a discussion to take up the Dhammachakra Pravartan day program in Akola district. After discussion, the activists decided to organize this ceremon. It was immediately implemented. In a meeting at Ashok Vatika, everyone agreed to this arrangement. Planning was discussed and the first event was held in the open ground behind the post office in front of Ashok Vatika. The program organized by the Buddhist Mahasabha was conducted in a very simple manner in the presence of local leaders and office bearers. Prakash Ambedkar along with Babasaheb’s Snusha (Daughter in law) and Prakash Ambedkar’s mother Shri Miratai Ambedkar were prominently present at this event. The campaign in Akola district and the return crowd in Nagpur set a record for the meeting. After Nagpur, the grand divine ceremony, which is celebrated all over Maharashtra, became the specialty of Akola district. Later this event was held at Vasant Desai Stadium for many years. Since then, the event has been held at the Akola Cricket Club ground for more than 10 years now.
The main attraction of the festival is the Miravnuk (procession)
Every year the (Miravnuk) procession starts from Akola railway station bridge in the afternoon. At the front is a rider on a horse with a Dhammadhwaja. Behind him are the Shramner Sangha, surrounded by the Samata Sainik Dal and the officials of the Indian Buddhist Mahasabha. They are followed by a Dhammarath decorated for Balasaheb Ambedkar. Along with Balasaheb, district and state office bearers and prominent government officials sit on it. From Railway Station Chowk to Shivaji College, Tilak Marg, Kotwali Police Station Chowk and from there to Gandhi Marg from New Bus Station to Akola Cricket Club. There are group of activists all around. Balasaheb Ambedkar is welcomed at various places in the city. Free water, food and health facilities are provided on the roadside for the convenience of the public. The ground where the meeting is held also has the most stalls of Phule Shahu Ambedkari movement and books on Dhamma; Dhamma flags, idols and other materials are available there. Singers, artists and writers of the Ambedkari movement have separate stalls selling song cassettes, books. Dr. Dharmendra Raut along with many doctors on behalf of the Health Department and provide health facilities.
Some organizations and mandals arrange free food and water for Bhim followers, from the station square to the road side and even inside the grounds.
In the past few years, Samata Sainik Dal along with Procession Control Committee, Dhamma Rath Decoration Committee, Maidan Security Committee and Stage Management Committee have been appointed to guard these processions and gatherings. Since 2013, Rajendra Patode became the head of the Procession Control Committee and the committee was given a new look. The procession is entrusted to youths in tracksuits. The youth workers of the Procession Control Committee control and conduct the procession at each square along the procession through entire route. Hence, the burden of procession control is not on the police. Arguments or disturbances are not allowed anywhere. Specially, because Durga Visarjan is held every year on the second day of Dasara. Processions and public meetings are held on the same day. But in 38 years, both the processions go simultaneously in different ways, but no untoward incident has ever taken place.
The combined presence of the Ambedkar family is the center of attraction
This ceremony has many features. Along with mother Meeratai Ambedkar, brothers Bhimrao Ambedkar, Anandraj Ambedkar and siblings Balasaheb have often attended this event. In the last few years, along with Balasaheb, Prof. Anjali Ambedkar, Manisha Anandraj Ambedkar and Sujat Ambedkar, Ritika Bhimrao Ambedkar, Sahil and Aman Ambedkar from the fourth generation of Babasaheb attended this event.
And Meeratai announced that Prakash Ambedkar was ‘donated’ to the society..
An event that overwhelmed the district happened in the very first ceremony. Meeratai Ambedkar stood up to speak at the ceremony, and the people in the meeting were moved by her emotional speech. She said, “Whatever Babasaheb earned in his lifetime he gave to society, I have nothing of the wealth earned by Babasaheb. But today the society looks at Ambedkar family with great hope. Though I have Babasaheb’s wealth, I have Babasaheb’s grandson and he is the one of the society today. “… This sentence brought the meeting to a standstill… Meeratai’s speech caught the attention of the group present… tears flowed in the eyes of the people… Balasaheb’s leadership was accepted with thunderous applause. Later, the ‘Bahujan pattern’ was born, which paves the way for the out-of-power group to come to power with the slogan ‘Bahujan Sare Ek Hovu, Satta Aapalya Hathi Gheu” (“We all bahujan will unite and take power in our hands”). Later this same pattern was known as ‘Akola Pattern’ in Maharashtra.
And even after the health problem, the tradition did not stop
On the morning of 8th July 2021, a video of Prakash Ambedkar appeared on social media in the morning. Through the said video, he announced that he will stay away from political events for three months due to personal reasons. After that, Rekhatai Thakur, a senior leader of the party and state president of Mahila Aghadi, was appointed as the in-charge president of the party to continue the party’s programs during the three-month tenure. As this was an unprecedented incident of a political leader announcing a three-month holiday, many arguments were aired. Meanwhile, “For my personal reasons, I will not be working from the daily program of the party for three months. The party must run. We have started the agitation. There are elections in five districts of the state.” Balasaheb Ambedkar also appealed through the video that Rekhatai Thakur is being appointed as the in-charge of Maharashtra President of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (Deprived Majority Front) saying that it is important for the party to have a president. It was revealed that the real reason was that Balasaheb Ambedkar was in urgent need of a bypass surgery, so he decided to take a break and appoint an acting president.
On the same day i.e. Thursday, July 8, 2021, the bypass surgery was immediately performed on him. The surgery was performed by Dr. Anvaymule and his entire team at Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai. Rekhatai Thakur, the president in charge of Vanchit, announced the medical bulletin and gave information in this regard on the media and social media. Balasaheb Ambedkar was in ICU and his condition was stable. Rekhatai Thakur had also said that he will be kept in the hospital for a few more days. He had arrived in Mumbai to lead the reservation march of the Muslim community in Mumbai. However, as he started suffering in the morning, he was immediately admitted to the hospital. Before that, Balasaheb had felt trouble while protesting with Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in Kolhapur in Maratha Kranti Morcha, but he had ignored it.
On July 17, 2021, Sujat Ambedkar released a statement on behalf of the Ambedkar family on Facebook. The text of that statement was as follows. “On behalf of Sujat Ambedkar, Ritika Ambedkar, Sahil Ambedkar, Aman Ambedkar and the entire Ambedkar family we are grateful to Dr. Anvay Mule and his entire team at Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai. The medical team, paramedicals and other hospital staff who operated on Adv. Prakash Ambedkar We are indebted to all the staff. Thank you all. Thank you!” Of course, a major crisis faced by the Ambedkari movement was overcome. Meanwhile, there were by-elections in some places including the Akola Zilla Parishad, but he was absent for the first time in that election. Akola activists fought this election unitedly and won 6 out of 14 Zilla Parishad seats in by-elections. And by-elections were held in 28 Panchayat Samiti Gana. Vanchit won 16 out of 28 seats.
And Balasaheb held the meeting
Balasaheb Ambedkar participated in the first public program after a three-month vacation. It was the Dhamma Chakra Pravartan ceremony led by the Indian Buddhist Mahasabha. Public programs were not allowed in the wake of Covid. Therefore, the Digital Dhamma Chakra Pravartan ceremony 2021 was organized on 16th October 2021 at the Akola Zilla Parishad President’s residence in the presence of a few invited office bearers. After recovering from illness, Prakash Ambedkar gave further direction to the workers in this online meeting.
Every five years there are elections that decide the future of the country and the state. What Prakash Ambedkar announces in the Dhammachakra Pravartan ceremony, the whole of Maharashtra pays attention to it. So, in a real sense, this Dhammachakra Pravartan Day becomes a direction for the politics of the state and the country. This meeting is an important event and turning point in the political movement of Bharatiya Buddhist Mahasabha Bharip, Bharip Bahujan Federation and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi. Prakash Ambedkar has been the main speaker of this function for the past 38 years. The significance that the Dussehra gathering holds for the Shiv Sena, the Dhammachakra Pravartan Din has the same importance for the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi. What will Ambedkar talk about in today’s meeting about the current political situation in Maharashtra, possible alliance with Congress-Sena?
At Dhamma gatherings in Akola, Washim Buldhana, Nanded, Hingoli, Parbhani, Beed, Aurangabad, Jalna, Jalgaon, Khandesh, Amravati and other districts, Ambedkarites were present. A large number of Ambedkari followers gathered to listen to the thoughts of Balasaheb Ambedkar at the Akola Cricket Club in Akola. Accordingly, preparations for the Dhamma gathering were successful.
A Dhamma Melava (2022) was held in Akola Cricket Club on 6th October 2022. It continued to rain and at a same time Prakash Ambedkar continued to roar. Bhima followers turned up in lakhs to hear the thoughts of Prakash Ambedkar. At Akola Dhammachakra Mahaustav a sea of Bhima followers gathered in the pouring rain to listen to Prakash Ambedkar’s stormy speech.
On the second day of Ashok Vijaya Dashami, Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Day is organized in Akola for the last 38 years by the Akola District Branch of the Bhartiya Boudh Mahasabha (Indian Buddhist Mahasabha). Due to the Corona crisis, the Dhamma gathering was celebrated in peace. But now in Dhamma Mela, which was organized after two years, Ambedkari followers had had gathered in large numbers. The vast, loud, roaring Ambedkari following of Bhimsagar had come from all over the state to the Dhamma Mela. Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi founder Adv. Prakash Ambedkar was seated on a decorated Dhammaratha.
After the start of the Dhamma Melava rally on Thursday at 4:10 PM, the rains started. The city resounded with the shouts of Jai Buddha and Jai Bhima in abundance. Flocks of blue birds wearing white clothes and having Panchsheel flags in hands participated in the Dhamma Melava rally. The cricket club ground was filled with the crowd of lakhs of followers. A bunch of youths joined the crowd chanting Jay Bhim. Though the crowd was huge, everyone took care of each other and enthusiastically participated in the Dhamma Melava, from the little ones to the elders.
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Vinay Damodar is an Ambedkarite research scholar currently pursuing PhD in Inclusive Development and Social Justice, from Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. His interest lies in intersections of Caste, Anti-caste movement, the Politics of Ambedkarite groups, Dr. Ambedkar’s thoughts and vision, etc. He hails from Bhim Nagar, Akola, Maharashtra.
