Buddha Purnima 2025: 'A Palace Wrought in Gold, Yet Infested with the Vilest of Viruses'— Revisiting Annadurai's Historic Words, When He Called Ambedkar's Buddhist Conversion "A Unique Decision"

New Delhi- Followers of Buddhism in India are preparing to celebrate Buddha Purnima on May 12. On this occasion, the Buddhist community will remember the messages of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. He believed that Buddhism is the path of equality and justice. Even today, millions of people from Dalit and backward communities are embracing Buddhism by following Babasaheb's path.

This occasion brings to mind a historic event—on October 14, 1956, Dr. Ambedkar renounced Hinduism and embraced Buddhism along with over 700,000 followers in Nagpur. This remains the largest mass religious conversion in world history. This historic decision was openly praised by C.N. Annadurai (Anna), former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and a stalwart of the Dravidian movement. Leaders like Anna saw this mass conversion as part of a social revolution.

Ambedkarite writer and dental surgeon Dr. SPVA Sairam, in an article published in The Culture Cafe, highlighted the close ideological ties between these two great leaders. Annadurai and Babasaheb first met in the 1940s. On January 6, 1940, Dr. Ambedkar hosted a tea party for Periyar and his associates. The next day, a public meeting was held in Dharavi, where Ambedkar spoke in English and Periyar in Tamil. Annadurai acted as the bridge between them, translating Ambedkar’s speech into Tamil and Periyar’s speech into English, ensuring the leaders' ideas reached the people.

Ambedkar’s conversion was the culmination of decades of resistance. Having declared in 1935, "I will not die a Hindu," he spent years studying world religions before embracing Buddhism in 1956, calling it a "religion of reason, equality, and compassion." His 22 Vows—a radical rejection of Hindu deities, caste, and Brahminical rites—became the foundation of the Navayana (neo-Buddhist) movement.

Annadurai recognized the seismic impact of this decision. Unlike individual conversions, Ambedkar’s act was a political revolt, empowering millions to exit the caste system.

When Dr. Ambedkar embraced Buddhism in Nagpur along with more than 7 lakh followers, Anna was one of the few giants in India who welcomed this historic event. Writing in Dravida Nadu on 21-10-1956, Anna eloquently said:

“Today Buddhism has taken on the compassionate task of drawing into its fold those who have tired of the Hindu religion, and seek to exit it. Never before in history has such an event taken place: on a single day and gathered in one place, over three hundred thousand men, women, and children abandoned one religion for another, left Hinduism, and embraced Buddhism. A reporter writing about it remarks that nowhere in the world has such a thing happened, and marvels at this sea of people, gathered in a large ground outside the city, a site that extends ten lakh square feet….

He further wrote:

"Dr Ambedkar is learned in the Hindu religion and has studied it deeply. One can safely say that there is not a Hindu text, whether Vedic or Agamic, that he has not mastered. His knowledge of law is extensive and his legal acumen and training fitted him to the task of drawing up the Indian constitution. That such a learned man decided to lay by his Hindu faith and convert to Buddhism with three hundred thousand people makes for a unique choice and one that is quite different from that exercised by others who convert, only because of their dislike of their religion…

Untouchability, unseeability, not letting people come close to you, insisting on birth-based notions of high and low… even if it were a palace wrought in gold, it is a building infested with the vilest of viruses and men like Dr Ambedkar cannot be expected to live in such a space. They will leave it one day or another. Dr Ambedkar’s conversion deserves praise from all those who are possessed of good sense and intelligence.”

Nearly seven decades later, Ambedkar’s Buddhist movement continues to grow, with thousands converting annually. This Buddha Purnima, devotees will reaffirm his vision of a casteless society—a vision Annadurai, too, championed.