I’ve been battling a flu, but had to go to Shivaji Park on December 6 for Mahaparinirvan Diwas, that commemorates the death anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar, who despite being born a “low” caste Mahar, rose to be chief architect of the Constitution of India, and passed away in 1956. An estimated 5,00,000 followers came to Shivaji Park and Chaityabhoomi, where Dr Babasaheb is cremated, to celebrate the life of a remarkable man, who was also a legal luminary, economist, journalist, social reformer, and dedicated his life to the annihilation of caste. 

I’ve been following the art, culture and history of the Dalit/Bahujan/Adivasi community all over India since eight years, and December 6 is also a fertile meeting ground to connect with Ambedkarites and others from all walks of life, watch street plays and buy books. At the Secular Art Movement Maharashtra (SAM) and many other stalls, I met many stalwarts of the movement, participants and supporters, including Secular Art Movement Founder Gautamiputra Kamble (who has been very generously mentoring me), senior art curator Girish Shahane, brilliant artist Vikrant Bhise, superb curator and Convenor of the Secular Art Movement, Prabhakar Kamble; Founder-President of the All India Independent Scheduled Castes Association (AIISCA), Rahul Sonpimple; filmmaker-activist Somnath Waghmare, Yalgaar singer Dhammarakshit Randive; Shameebha Patil, the thoughtful, poised trans candidate of the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi from the Raver constituency, and activists Shubhkaramdeep Singh and Sagar Sakhare.