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Photo Feature: Chaitya Bhoomi: India’s most visited death memorial     

When Dr Bheem Rao Ambedkar died on 6 December 1956 in Delhi, Dadar Chowpati of Bombay (now Mumbai ) was selected for cremation., It was the second largest turnout for a leader’s funeral in the history of Mumbai, second only to Sardar Patel’s in 1950. The place is now known as ‘Chaitya Bhoomi’.

When Dr Bheem Rao Ambedkar died on 6 December 1956 in Delhi, Dadar Chowpati of Bombay (now Mumbai ) was selected for cremation., It was the second largest turnout for a leader’s funeral in the history of Mumbai, second only to Sardar Patel’s in 1950. The place is now known as ‘Chaitya Bhoomi’. Every year on the Mahaparinirva Diwas the place witnesses lakhs of Dr.Ambedkar swho visit there to pay their respects to him. The Chaityabhoomi memorial was inaugurated by his daughter-in-law, Meera Ambedkar on 5 December  1971.

6 December 1956: Mourners at 26 Alipur Road, Dr. Ambedkar’s Delhi residence, to pay their final respects

 

7 December 1956: A crowd of around 5 lakhs accompanied the funeral procession of Dr. Ambedkar’s body (in a hearse)

 

6 December 2013: RPI (A) leader Ramdas Athawale paying homage to Dr. Ambedkar at Chaitya Bhoomi

 

Part of the crowd at Chaitya Bhoomi that gathers every year on 6 December

 

Published in the December 2014 issue of the Forward Press magazine


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