DEEKSHABHOOMI is a central memorial built after the original Buddhist architecture, a replica of the famous stupa erected by the Great Emperor Asoka at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh. It is the biggest ever stupa in the Asian Continent. It was inaugurated on Thursday, 18th December 2001 by the then President of India K. R. Narayanan.
It is situated at the heart of Nagpur, Maharashtra (India). Though Nagpur has its latest identity as the Green City or Orange City, a global recognition for the city is primarily sought after Deekshabhoomi.
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, the Chief Architect of Constitution of India embraced Buddhism here on 14th October 1956. This is considered the only revolution where more than six million people followed at once the principles of the Dhamma.
Embracing Buddhism stands important for another reason and that is revival of Buddhism by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. He studied the Dhamma thoroughly and wrote a voluminous book entitled ‘The Buddha and His Dhamma’ that brought out a fundamental change in religious matters. The followers adopted the practices and felt liberated from the clutches of age-old, traditional blind faiths and superstitions.
The day of mass conversion is remembered as the day of celebration by millions and every year, on the occasion of Dhammachakra Pravartan Din, a mega programme is organized to mark the event in history.
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar in his address to Buddhists stated that Nagpur was a homeland of ‘Nag’ people, the ‘Nag’ river at this place was the early settlement of those people. All the Nagas were primarily Buddhists and in reverence to them he had chosen this place. He explained them in detail the ways of upliftment of life by following the Panchasilas and the Eightfold path preached by the Buddha 2550 years ago.