Blue the Major Hue at Rainbow of Celebrations

People from all walks of life celebrate Ambedkar Jayanti, dancing to dhol beats, smearing blue gulal and paint on each other's faces

- Rajeev Mullick

LUCKNOW: A memorial to the architect of the Constitution, Dr BR Ambedkar, in the capital of India's politically most crucial state turned into a Mecca of reverence for his countless followers, demonstrating his undeniable appeal across all sections of the society and underlining why all political parties are keen to cash on his name with an eye on poll dividends.

With ideological fervour rising to a crescendo, it was a sea of blue at the sprawling Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal, better known as Ambedkar Park in Lucknow's Gomti Nagar, on Monday as the occasion almost turned into a pilgrimage of sorts though not of the religious kind.

Celebrating Dr BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary with zeal, lakhs of people of Lucknow and U.P. drawn from all walks of life -- fashion designers, government schoolteachers, students, serving and retired government officials -- gathered at the venue.

They danced to the beats of dhol (drum), smeared blue gulal and paint on each other's faces and shouted the slogans of 'Jai Bhim, Ambedkar Zindabad' on the occasion.

This reverence and the vibrant popular pulse is the reason why political parties of all hues spared no effort to organise events and eulogise Ambedkar on the day.

Carrying posters, banners and placards, the ardent followers of Babasaheb came from across the state as a mark of respect to the national icon whom they regard as their role model and a source of inspiration to fight against the odds to lead a better and respectable life.