About Mahaparinirvan Din
Mahaparinirvan Din is the death anniversary of Dr B. R. Ambedkar, who died in his sleep at his Delhi home on 6 December 1956, less than two months after he became a Buddhist. Ambedkarites across India mark it, and lakhs travel to Chaityabhoomi in Dadar, Mumbai, where he was cremated. In 2026 it falls on Sunday, 6 December 2026.
Why is it called Mahaparinirvan Din?
In Buddhism, parinirvana is the passing of a person who has already reached nirvana in life, so that they are not born again. Mahaparinirvana, the "great" parinirvana, is the word Buddhists use for the death of the Buddha himself at Kushinagar.
Ambedkar took the Three Refuges and Five Precepts in Nagpur on 14 October 1956 and led about five lakh followers into Buddhism that day. He died 53 days later. Many Ambedkarite Buddhists regard him as a bodhisattva, a being who works for the freedom of others, though he never claimed the title himself. So they gave the anniversary of his death the Buddhist name. Hindi speakers often say Mahaparinirvan Diwas, and news reports also call it his punyatithi or death anniversary.
Decay is inherent in all component things. Work out your salvation with diligence.
Using the name Mahaparinirvan Din in a message tells an Ambedkarite friend that you know what the day means to them. It is a Buddhist day of mourning and reflection, not a celebration.
The last days of 1956
Ambedkar had lived with diabetes since 1948 and was often ill in his final years, but he kept working. He finished the manuscript of The Buddha and His Dhamma, the book many Navayana Buddhists treat as scripture, three days before he died. It was published in 1957.
- 14 October 1956Dhamma Diksha in Nagpur
Ambedkar and his wife become Buddhists, and he gives his followers the 22 vows.
- 6 December 1956Death in Delhi
He dies in his sleep at 26 Alipur Road, his home in the capital.
- 6–7 December 1956Return to Mumbai
His body is brought to Rajgruha, the house he built in Dadar's Hindu Colony in the early 1930s.
- 7 December 1956Cremation
A Buddhist cremation is held by the sea at Dadar, beside Shivaji Park. Estimates of the crowd range from about five lakh to over twelve lakh.
- 16 December 1956Conversion at the pyre site
Many of those who came to the funeral become Buddhists at the same place.
- 5 December 1971Chaityabhoomi opens
His daughter-in-law Meerabai Ambedkar inaugurates the memorial over his remains.
- 13 April 2018Delhi memorial
A memorial shaped like an open book opens where his Alipur Road house stood.
What happens at Chaityabhoomi
Chaityabhoomi is a small domed memorial on the Dadar seafront. Its gateway copies the gate of the Sanchi stupa. Inside, a circular wall surrounds a bust of Ambedkar and a statue of the Buddha, and an urn holds his remains. The Maharashtra government gave it A-class pilgrimage and tourism status in 2016, and since 2019 a permanent flame, the Bhimjyot, has burned there.
Followers start arriving from 1 December. Many come from across Maharashtra and other states, shelter at Shivaji Park, and join a queue that can take hours. Many also stop at Rajgruha, his old home nearby. People bring flowers and blue candles, bow before the urn and his image, and Buddhist vandana plays over loudspeakers. Estimates of the 6 December crowd run to 25 lakh or more; official releases simply say lakhs.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation runs the arrangements with the police, the state government and Ambedkarite volunteers. A coordination committee formed in 2002 works with the BMC on visitor services. For 2025, All India Radio reported more than 8,000 staff on duty, a waterproof shelter of about one lakh square feet with LED screens, mobile toilets and bathing units, and 585 medical staff. Central Railway ran 15 unreserved long-distance specials between 4 and 8 December and 12 midnight suburban locals on the Parel–Kalyan and Kurla–Panvel routes. In 2020, during Covid, followers were asked to send letters to Chaityabhoomi instead of travelling, and thousands did.
How the rest of India marks the day
In Delhi, the Dr. Ambedkar Foundation, under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, holds the national tribute at Prerna Sthal in the Parliament House complex. The President, Vice-President, Prime Minister and Speaker usually offer flowers there in the morning, and the public can then pay respects. In Mumbai, the Governor and Chief Minister go to Chaityabhoomi.
Elsewhere, people garland his statues and recite Buddha vandana at viharas, and schools, colleges and government offices hold short tributes. Many families simply light a candle before his portrait at home.
Mahaparinirvan Din is not a national holiday; only his birthday, Ambedkar Jayanti, is. Holiday status in Maharashtra and Mumbai has varied from year to year, and there have been repeated demands for schools to close so students can visit Chaityabhoomi. Check that year's state or district notice.
Official counts of the anniversary also vary. All India Radio called 2024 the 68th death anniversary and 2025 the "70th Mahaparinirvan Diwas", so you will see different numbers on banners.
What to write on Mahaparinirvan Din
Write a salute, not a greeting. The Marathi phrase is "vinamra abhivadan", a humble salute; Hindi messages often say "shat shat naman", a hundred bows. "Jai Bhim" is right on this day too. Name one thing he did, rather than a string of titles.
Mahaparinirvan dinanimitta Mahamanav Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar yanna vinamra abhivadan. Tyanni dilela shiksha ani samatecha marg kadhi visaru naka. Jai Bhim. (On Mahaparinirvan Din, a humble salute to the great man, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. Never forget the path of education and equality he gave us. Jai Bhim.)
महापरिनिर्वाण दिनानिमित्त महामानव डॉ. बाबासाहेब आंबेडकर यांना कोटी कोटी विनम्र अभिवादन. जय भीम.
Mahaparinirvan Diwas par Bharat Ratna Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar ko shat shat naman. Unka diya samvidhan hamari sabse badi virasat hai. Jai Bhim. (On Mahaparinirvan Diwas, a hundred bows to Bharat Ratna Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. The Constitution he gave us is our greatest inheritance. Jai Bhim.)
Today is Mahaparinirvan Din, the day Dr B. R. Ambedkar died in 1956. The vote for every adult, equality before the law, the end of untouchability in law: so much of what we take for granted carries his mark. Remembering him with respect.
Thinking of you as you head to Chaityabhoomi tonight. Please carry my salute to Babasaheb as well. Jai Bhim, and travel safe.
Babasaheb finished his last book three days before he died. He never stopped reading or writing. On Mahaparinirvan Din, let us honour him the way he asked: educate, agitate, organise.
On Mahaparinirvan Din we bow to Dr B. R. Ambedkar, who fought for a country where every citizen has the same rights and the same dignity. Vinamra abhivadan. Jai Bhim.
Do
- Say "vinamra abhivadan", "shat shat naman" or "Jai Bhim"; all fit the day.
- Name a specific part of his work: the Constitution, labour laws, the Hindu Code Bill, the fight against untouchability.
- Use plain colours or blue, with a portrait, a lamp or the Buddha.
Avoid
- Never write "Happy Mahaparinirvan Din" or add party poppers, balloons or fireworks.
- Don't use the day to attack a party, caste or community.
- Don't share a quote you haven't checked; many lines credited to him online are not his.
- Mahaparinirvan
- The Buddhist word for the final passing of the Buddha, used by Ambedkarites for Ambedkar's death.
- Chaityabhoomi
- His cremation memorial on the Dadar seafront in Mumbai; a chaitya is a Buddhist shrine.
- Rajgruha
- His home in Dadar, now partly a museum, which followers visit on the same day.
- Vinamra abhivadan
- Marathi for "humble salute"; the standard phrase on this day.
- Shat shat naman
- Hindi for "a hundred bows"; used in Hindi tributes.
- Mahamanav
- "Great human being"; a Marathi honorific for Ambedkar.
Ten days before his death anniversary comes Constitution Day, 26 November, when the Constitution he steered through the Constituent Assembly was adopted. Many Ambedkarite Buddhists also mark Buddha Purnima, the day Buddhists remember the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and mahaparinirvana.
How to wish someone on Mahaparinirvan Din
This is a day of remembrance, so never write "Happy Mahaparinirvan Din". A good message salutes Ambedkar and names something he gave the country, such as equal rights in law, the vote for every adult, or the right to an education. The words people use are "vinamra abhivadan" (humble salute) and "Jai Bhim". Keep it short and calm, with no festive emojis.
Write a few lines in your own words, pick a design and share it as one link on WhatsApp, Instagram or anywhere else. They open an animated card made just for them, with no app and no sign-up.
Language tip: English, Marathi + Hindi.
Good to know: Death anniversary of Dr B. R. Ambedkar. Never "Happy Mahaparinirvan Din"; the usual words are "vinamra abhivadan" (humble salute) and "Jai Bhim". No confetti.
When is Mahaparinirvan Din in each year?
Mahaparinirvan Din is on 6 Dec every year. Only the weekday changes.
- 2026
- 2027
- 2028
Frequently asked questions
When is Mahaparinirvan Din in 2026?
Mahaparinirvan Din 2026 falls on Sunday, 6 December 2026.
Why is Ambedkar's death anniversary called Mahaparinirvan Din?
Ambedkar's death anniversary is called Mahaparinirvan Din because he became a Buddhist in October 1956, weeks before he died, and many of his Buddhist followers regard him as a bodhisattva. Mahaparinirvana is the Buddhist term for the Buddha's own passing.
Can you say "Happy Mahaparinirvan Din"?
No. Mahaparinirvan Din marks Dr B. R. Ambedkar's death, so "happy" is wrong. Say "vinamra abhivadan" (humble salute), "shat shat naman" or "Jai Bhim" instead.
Where did B. R. Ambedkar die?
B. R. Ambedkar died in his sleep on 6 December 1956 at his home at 26 Alipur Road in Delhi. A memorial shaped like an open book, the Dr. Ambedkar National Memorial, now stands on the site.
What is Chaityabhoomi?
Chaityabhoomi is the memorial in Dadar, Mumbai, built where Ambedkar was cremated on 7 December 1956, beside Shivaji Park. It holds his remains and was inaugurated on 5 December 1971; lakhs of people visit it on Mahaparinirvan Din.
Is Mahaparinirvan Din a public holiday?
Mahaparinirvan Din is not a national holiday in India. Holiday status in Maharashtra and Mumbai has varied from year to year, so check the state or district notification for that year.
What do people do on Mahaparinirvan Din?
On Mahaparinirvan Din, followers visit Chaityabhoomi and Rajgruha in Mumbai, garland Ambedkar's statues, light candles and recite Buddha vandana. National leaders pay tribute at Prerna Sthal in the Parliament House complex in Delhi.
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