Ambedkar Memorial Park

Ambedkar Memorial Park

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It is more formally known as Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Prateek Sthal. Ambedkar Memorial Park is a public park and memorial in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.The park honors the lives and memories of Jyotirao Phule, Narayana Guru, Birsa Munda, Shahuji Maharaj, Bhimrao Ambedkar, Kanshi Ram and all those who've devoted their life for humanity, equality and social justice. The memorial was constructed by Mayawati, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, during her administration when she led the Bahujan Samaj Party.

History

The foundation stone of the memorial was first laid in 1995. Earlier, the park was named Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Udyan. In 2012, it was renamed the Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial and development work continued until 2002-03. In 2007, the park underwent further renovation and development. It was initially opened to the public on 14 April 2008 by Chief Minister Mayawati.The entire memorial is built using red sandstone brought from Rajasthan. It is situated in the posh locality of Gomti Nagar, the largest planned residential colony in India. Cost of the memorial is estimated at 7 billion rupees.Its name was changed from Ambedkar Park to Bhimrao Ambedkar memorial in May 2012.

morning view of the park

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Features

Finding a memorial as massive and grand as this is not an everyday thing! Sprawling across an area of 107 acres, the Ambedkar Memorial is a majestic structure commissioned in the name of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar to honor all those who devoted their lives to humanity, equality.Building such a huge memorial was not an easy task. The Chief Minister spent a lump sum amount of 700 crores from the state fund with a dream of building a spectacular memoir. Red Sandstone, which was specially imported from Rajasthan, was used in its construction. A gateway at the Gomti River lets you into the very vast complex, at the center of which you see the 112 feet high stupa. It is surrounded by countless pillars, elephant structures some other formations. The park has a serene atmosphere which becomes even more celestial at night when the entire place is illuminated with colorful lights.

aerial view

Ambedkar Stupa

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This construction is the heart of the entire memorial. The sanctum sanctorum consists of many statues depicting the biography of Ambedkar. There are four doors in opposite directions. This is a construction in the shape of a flower-bearing four petals. There is a statue of Ambedkar seated in a chair, facing towards the two domes.

And a beautiful saying of Ambedkar are written below the statue:

My struggle of life is my only message.

Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sangrahalay 

Opposite to the Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial is the Sangrahalay (museum), constructed over an area of about 2.5 acres. The building has two domes on top. It contains large statues of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj, Shri Narayan Guru, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and Shri Kanshiram. Another building consists of 18-foot tall marble statues of Tathagat Gautam Buddha, Sant Kabir Das, Sant Ravidas, Guru Ghasidas and Shri Birsa Munda.

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There was also many film shooting are performed there such as in the Bollywood film Youngistaan (2014) actors Jackky Bhagnani and Neha Sharma shot in Ambedkar Memorial Park and was surprised with its vast scale.After permission for shooting outside the memorial in March 2014, Aditya Roy Kapur and Parineeti Chopra shot for Rangreli Song of film Daawat-e-Ishq.In November 2015, Ravi Kishan shot for a Bhojpuri film at Ambedkar Memorial Park.In February 2016, Mika Singh and Urvashi Rautela also shot for their new music video named Lal Dupatta Kurta Chikan Ka just outside the Memorial.

Besides these, this place reminds you how Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar fight for Dalits for there freedom and right from many social inequalities.He was also Chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee.Ambedkar was a prolific student, earning doctorates in economics from both Columbia University and the London School of Economics, and gained a reputation as a scholar for his research in law, economics, and political science.In 1990, the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, was posthumously conferred upon Ambedkar. Ambedkar's legacy includes numerous memorials and depictions in popular culture.