No, B.R. Ambedkar was not a Hindu, particularly by the end of his life. He publicly renounced Hinduism and embraced Buddhism.
B.R. Ambedkar's Religious Identity: A Journey of Renunciation
While B.R. Ambedkar was born into a community traditionally categorized within the Hindu social structure, his life's work and ultimate spiritual path were defined by a profound and active rejection of the Hindu identity.
Key aspects of his religious stance include:
- Lifelong Struggle Against Identity: For approximately 65 years of his life, Ambedkar relentlessly fought against the symbols and practices he associated with Hinduism, particularly its caste system. His entire life was a determined struggle to shed that identity due to its inherent inequalities and injustices, especially concerning the Dalit community. He viewed the caste system as an oppressive force that prevented true social equality and human dignity.
- Formal Renunciation and Conversion to Buddhism: In a pivotal moment late in his life, Ambedkar, along with hundreds of thousands of his followers, formally converted to Buddhism in 1956. This conversion was not a mere change of faith but a deeply symbolic act of liberation and a rejection of the Hindu social order. He lived as a Buddhist for roughly 54 days before his passing, underscoring his final religious allegiance.
- The Vows of Conversion: His conversion involved taking 22 vows, which explicitly rejected Hindu deities, rituals, and the caste system, while embracing the principles of Buddhism. These vows serve as definitive proof of his deliberate dissociation from Hinduism and his commitment to a new spiritual and social path.
Therefore, despite being born into a Hindu society, his conscious decision to fight against its tenets for decades and his eventual conversion to Buddhism unequivocally establish that he did not identify as a Hindu. To portray him as a Hindu saint or to label him as Hindu after his conversion would be to overlook his lifelong mission and his definitive religious choice.
