Published On : Thu, Oct 22nd, 2015

Lakhs of Ambedkar followers visit Deekshabhoomi on Dhammachakra Pravartan Din

Advertisement

Deekshabhoomi on Dhammachakra Pravartan Din (2)
Nagpur
: Deekshabhoomi is considered as a pilgrim centre for the Buddhist brethren. Every year thousands congregate at Deekshabhoomi for various religious rites and programmes organized at this place. This year too lakhs of visitors congregated at Deekshabhoomi on October 22, 2015 for Dhammachakra Pravartan Din celebrations.

The civic administration is slowly gearing-up to ensure a smooth and peaceful observation of the event.

Wooden barricades
While wooden and steel barricades were used by the civic administration to ensure that crowds move in a serpentine queue to have a darshan of the idol of Lord Buddha at Deekshabhoomi. This also ensured that the chances of pushing around or stampede like situation are averted. Police personnel in large numbers and volunteers ensured that all the pilgrims and citizens adhere to following the queue.

At a time when elected people’s representatives and senior Government officials demand for VVIP treatment, it was Rajya Sabha Member Ramdas Athawale of Republican Party of India (Athawale) who set a good example to others by standing in the queue and walked patiently with the rest of the people to have the darshan. When the police officials saw him and recognized him and offered assistance and opportunity to supersede others for the darshan, he politely refused and stood in the queue and went with all others for the darshan.

Strict and thorough check
The police department has installed door-frame-metal detectors at many places so that no weapon is smuggled in to the sanctum sanctorum. Apart from Door-Frame-Metal-Detectors even hand-held metal detectors are used by police personnel to detect unwanted metallic objects. If this is not enough, the cops promptly pull aside any person they suspect and frisk him or her before allowing them for the darshan.

Devotees in a queue to have a darshan

Devotees in a queue to have a darshan


Sanitation and Cleanliness

The local citizens often complain, of the mess and dirt that lingers on after the Dhammachakra Pravartan Divas programme is over. However this year, the civic administration has employed volunteers and sanitation staff to take care of timely removal of dirt, plastic covers, paper-plates and Patravalis (Plate made of leaves). The sanitary workers were seen sweeping food-leftovers spilt on the ground too.

Deekshabhoomi on Dhammachakra Pravartan Din (6)
Vendors’ time to loot

Devotees, pilgrims and Buddhist brethren from villages and other cities congregate at the Deekshabhoomi. While the shopkeepers have taken regular counters on the road to Deekshabhoomi, the vendors have taken up road-dividers and other places to sell other readymade garments, bedsheets, blankets, plastic toys and other goods. While some sell genuine goods, many vendors were seen duping innocent villagers.

The thorough checking of devotees by police personnel

The thorough checking of devotees by police personnel

 

Presence of Police personnel in the sanctum sanctorum

Presence of Police personnel in the sanctum sanctorum

 

An ambulance and a fire engine stationed to meet any untoward incident

An ambulance and a fire engine stationed to meet any untoward incident

 

Deekshabhoomi on Dhammachakra Pravartan Din (3)

The sea of humanity gathered at Deekshabhoomi

 

Sanitary workers sweeping the areas

Sanitary workers sweeping the areas

 

The Stoopa at Deekshabhoomi

The Stoopa at Deekshabhoomi


By Samuel Gunasekharan