AHMEDABAD, INDIA, October 31, 2002: Nearly a thousand Dalits (“untouchables”) in Ahmedabad reportedly embraced Buddhism on Sunday while followers of Babasaheb Ambedkar chanted during the ceremony. A delegation of 20 monks and nuns from Bodh Gaya, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam initiated them into the religion. Bhante Mahanama from Bodh Gaya, presided over the ceremony. He claimed that in all, over 1,000 persons, mainly Dalits, embraced Buddhism during their three-day tour. Later reports disputed that number. When asked as to how did they convince people to change their religion, he said, “We did not ask them to accept Buddhism. They had interest in Buddhism and they wanted to get converted. So we gave them diksha, initiation. It was Ambedkar (Dalit leader who wrote India’s constitution and converted to Buddhism) who had shown them the way.” Ahmedabad-based Bhante Harshabodhi coordinated the program that has been called the biggest-ever conversion program in the city.
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