On Friday, it was Dussehra. This festival marks the end of Navratri, it was time for Goddess Durga to be immersed and I was really sad to see her go. Dussehra is also the day that Lord Rama defeated the demon Ravana, with the help of Goddess Durga herself. Here Nagpur, the festival has a third significance… Dussehra also marks the day when Dr. Ambedkar converted to Buddhism, and it happened right here in Nagpur. Who was Dr. Ambedkar? Dr. Ambedkar was a Hindu born of low caste, even though he was a great freedom fighter (during the fight for independence from the British), still Brahmins didn’t let him in their temples because of his caste. This prejudice infuriated him, so he converted to Buddhism and it is estimated that three million low-caste Hindus followed him and converted too. These days temples in Nagpur are open to every caste, but sadly many people still hold prejudice against lower caste people. So, during Dussehra thousands of Buddhists, who would otherwise be low-caste Hindus, come to Deekshaboomi in Nagpur for a pilgrimage. A sacred Buddhist monument designed by Dr. Ambedkar himself. People come from miles around in the back of trucks, on foot, in buses and trains to visit the [...]
