In Pictures

Chaityabhoomi: A celebration of Dalit identity

Tens of thousands of Dalits congregate for one of India’s most progressive cultural events in the city of Mumbai.

As the gathering is not centralised, there is always a moving mass of people, making it difficult to account for the numbers in attendance. [Javed Iqbal/Al Jazeera]

16 Dec 2015

Mumbai, India – Thousands of Dalits, the Indian caste formerly considered as untouchable, arrive in Mumbai each year on December 6 to commemorate the anniversary of the death of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, a Dalit icon and architect of the country’s constitution.

They come from across the country to gather at a memorial dedicated to Ambedkar known as Chaityabhoomi.

For Dalits, it is an act of assertion over public space, defiance against oppression and a celebration of identity.

Slogans such as “Victory to Ambedkar” can be heard all the way from the memorial to the Dadar railway station.

Many of Ambedkar’s books, pamphlets and quotations are displayed at the hundreds of stalls set up for the occasion.

There are also commemorations of other anti-caste leaders – from Jyotiba Phule to Kanshiram – and condemnations of the most recent killings of Dalits by dominant castes.

This year was the 59th anniversary of Ambedkar’s death.

There are many street performances throughout the day by different groups, often on themes of social transformation, current affairs and revolution, with strong undercurrents of Dalit self-respect and feminism. The fact that the Babri Masjid, a medieval-era mosque, was demolished on December 6, 1992, means that there are almost always performances concerned with the value of secularism, Muslim-Dalit unity and the dangers of Hindu fascism. [Javed Iqbal/Al Jazeera]

Chaityabhoomi is also where Ambedkar's ideological similarities with Karl Marx are emphasised, although many blame the left for their betrayal of the Dalit cause. Right-wing parties that now want to appropriate Ambedkar are also denounced. [Javed Iqbal/Al Jazeera]

Jaywant Hire is a journalist and activist from Ramabai Nagar in Mumbai. 'Chaityabhoomi is for all those who value secularism, humanism, rationality and justice for all peoples,' he says. 'This is where they come to get inspiration.' [Javed Iqbal/Al Jazeera]

Despite the huge numbers in attendance, a sense of order and discipline is maintained. [Javed Iqbal/Al Jazeera]

Ashok Kamble, a schoolteacher, and Ananda Bhirje, a retired government employee, volunteer as security guards. They have been volunteering for 35 years. 'More and more people come every year, and the attraction to the place increases by the year,' Kamble said. [Javed Iqbal/Al Jazeera]

Many of the mostly upper-class and upper-caste residents who live near the site of the annual gathering leave around that time of the year. [Javed Iqbal/Al Jazeera]

On one of the stalls this year, the National Dalit Movement for Justice invited people to write postcards to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra state, of which Mumbai is the capital, to protest against violence against Dalit communities. [Javed Iqbal/Al Jazeera]

Thousands of vendors like Ismael, who has been coming to Chaityabhoomi since 2009, are in attendance. He earns anywhere from Rs 500-1,000 [$7.5-$15] for a day's work. [Javed Iqbal/Al Jazeera]

People use the many stalls at the park, after providing the municipal authorities with a deposit. [Javed Iqbal/Al Jazeera]

A troupe from Republican Panthers performs a skit making fun of the selfie culture among the leaders of the day. Laxman Kalleda, one of the performers, says defiantly: 'There are many here who want a moderate Ambedkar, but we sing of the radical Ambedkar. The police, too, are afraid of a radical Ambedkar.' [Javed Iqbal/Al Jazeera]

About a minute away from the Republican Panthers, a collective called Yalgaar performs in a similar vein. [Javed Iqbal/Al Jazeera]

Ramdas from central Madhya Pradesh state travelled for days to live with other followers of Kabir at Chaityabhoomi. Kabir was a mystic saint and poet whose legacy has greatly influenced the Dalit movement. [Javed Iqbal/Al Jazeera]

Pragat Padghan and Shekhar Ovhal are Ambedkarite activists who say they are fighting for an India according to Ambedkar's teachings. 'We are fighting for an egalitarian India. It's the legacy of his thoughts that shapes our present and carves the humanity among us,' Padghan said. [Javed Iqbal/Al Jazeera]

'Educate, organise, agitate' was one of the main slogans used by Ambedkar. The event puts a large emphasis on reading, writing and understanding the world. [Javed Iqbal/Al Jazeera]