List of Buddhist conversions in India facts for kids
After Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar chose to become a Buddhist, many thousands of people from different backgrounds have also converted to Buddhism. They do this in special ceremonies where they take twenty-two important vows.
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Why People Chose Buddhism
In 1956, Dr. Ambedkar decided to adopt Buddhism. He saw it as a way for Dalit people to find freedom and a better life. Because of his decision, many people in India, especially Dalits, became very interested in Buddhism.
Every year, thousands of people are inspired by Dr. Ambedkar and choose to become Buddhists. Most of these new Buddhists come from the Hindu Dalit community. They see Dr. Ambedkar as their great leader or "Messiah" who showed them a path to liberation. Many well-known people have also become Buddhists because of Dr. Ambedkar's influence. These include figures like Mallikarjun Kharge, Ramdas Athawale, Udit Raj, Laxman Mane, and Poolan Devi.
Major Conversion Events
Many large groups of people have converted to Buddhism in India, especially after Dr. Ambedkar's conversion. These events are often called "mass conversions."
The First Conversions in 1956
- October 14, 1956, Nagpur, Maharashtra: About 500,000 people converted to Buddhism at a place called Deekshabhoomi. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and his wife, Savita Ambedkar, were the first to convert. After them, Dr. Ambedkar himself helped all the other people convert. Most of these people were Hindus from the Dalit community. Some Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs also joined.
- October 15, 1956, Nagpur, Maharashtra: The next day, around 300,000 more people converted at Deekshabhoomi. These were people who couldn't make it on the first day. Dr. Ambedkar again led their conversion.
- October 16, 1956, Chandrapur, Maharashtra: More than 300,000 people converted here. Dr. Ambedkar also led this large conversion event.
Conversions After Dr. Ambedkar's Passing
- December 7, 1956, Mumbai, Maharashtra: This was a very large conversion event. More than 1,000,000 people converted at Chaitya Bhoomi. Dr. Ambedkar had planned to lead a conversion program in Mumbai later that month. However, he passed away on December 6. So, at his funeral, people accepted Buddhism as a tribute to him. Bhadant Anand Kausalyayan helped these people convert.
- December 1956, Delhi and Agra: About 30,000 people in Delhi and 20,000 in Agra converted. They did this by witnessing Dr. Ambedkar's ashes or bones, showing their respect and commitment to his path.
- April 13, 1957, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh: Around 200,000 people converted here. Sangharakshita led this conversion ceremony.
Later Mass Conversions
The movement of converting to Buddhism continued over the years, with many more large events:
- November 4, 2001, Delhi: A Buddhist leader and activist named Udit Raj organized a large conversion event where 50,000 Hindu Dalits became Buddhists.
- May 27, 2007, Mumbai, Maharashtra: About 100,000 people converted. This event was led by Ramdas Athawale and Laxman Mane. The converts included people from 42 different castes.
- October 19, 2018, Kanpur Dehat district, Uttar Pradesh: More than 10,000 Hindu people from Scheduled Castes (SC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) converted.
- October 18, 2018, and October 6–8, 2019, Deekshabhoomi, Nagpur: On these Dhammachakra Pravartan Days, large groups of people continued to convert at Deekshabhoomi. In 2018, 62,000 people converted, and in 2019, 67,543 people converted. Surai Sasai led these ceremonies.
- October 14, 2020, Hathras, Uttar Pradesh: About 236 Valmiki people converted to Buddhism. They did this to protest against a specific case that had caused a lot of public concern.
These conversion events show the lasting impact of Dr. Ambedkar's vision and the continued interest in Buddhism among many communities in India.
