Deekshabhoomi

Deekshabhoomi is a sacred Buddhist monument and stupa located in Nagpur, Maharashtra, marking the site where Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and approximately 400,000 followers embraced Buddhism on October 14, 1956. It is considered the first pilgrimage center of Ambedkarite Buddhism and features the world's largest hollow stupa. The monument serves as a central memorial to Dr. Ambedkar and a significant symbol of social liberation and Navayana Buddhism.

Visitors can explore a large hemispherical stupa designed based on Sanchi architecture, featuring a ground-floor hall with a Buddha statue, a library, and photo exhibitions depicting the lives of Gautama Buddha and Dr. Ambedkar. The site includes a Bodhi Tree planted from Sri Lankan cuttings, a Buddha Vihara, and maintained gardens. Visitors typically engage in prayer, circumambulation, and viewing historical displays within a peaceful, spiritually significant environment.

On October 14, 1956 (Ashoka Vijaya Dashami), Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and his wife took vows of Three Jewels and Five Precepts from Burmese monk Mahasthavir Chandramani, followed by administering oaths and 22 Vows to hundreds of thousands of followers. This event marked the birth of the Neo-Buddhist movement and was the first religious mass conversion of its kind in history. The current stupa was inaugurated on December 18, 2001, by President K.R. Narayanan.

Deekshabhoomi is the central memorial of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and the primary pilgrimage site for Navayana Buddhists. It symbolizes social revolution, liberation from caste-based discrimination, and the revival of Buddhism in India. Millions visit annually, especially on Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Din (October 14), making it a globally recognized center of Ambedkarite Buddhist culture and literature.