Lucknow: Ganesha is revered as the god of beginnings. That's why he is worshiped at the start of rites and ceremonies, including wedding. And almost every Hindu wedding invitation card begins with an image of Lord Ganesha.
But a Dalit family in Allahabad has started a new tradition by replacing the image of Ganesha with that of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar on the wedding card of their daughter.
This has been met with appreciation and criticism alike, but the Dalit family is convinced that Ambedkar is a godlike figure for them. Hinchlal from Amaura village of Meja Tehsil in Allahabad says he chose Ambedkar's image for his daughter Khushbu's wedding card because it's the Indian Constitution written by Babasaheb that strengthens his community, which used to suffer from untouchability and oppression for centuries.
Photograph of the the wedding invitation card. (Photo: Qazi Faraz Ahmad/ News18.com)
"Whatever position we have in the society today, it is because of Babasaheb. He is a godlike figure for us. By his grace, we are a part of the society and that's why I have preferred his image over Lord Ganesha's on my daughter's wedding card," said Hinchlal.
"Just because I was from a Dalit family, I was not allowed to enter a school when I was a kid," said Hinchlal, a law graduate who is now Sarpanch of his village.
"Following the footsteps of Babasaheb, I have struggled a lot to establish myself. Babasaheb was unlike today's political parties who just want to exploit us by playing the Dalit card whenever elections take place," he said.
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