12th July (1949) in Dalit History – Sant Gadge Baba met Dr. Ambedkar in Pandharpur

12th July (1949) in Dalit History – Sant Gadge Baba met Dr. Ambedkar in Pandharpur.

Earlier, Dr. Ambedkar was denied entry to the Pandharpur temple as he belonged to Mahar caste. Dr. Ambedkar was stopped at the burial site of Chokhamela and denied entry beyond that point for being a Mahar. The upper castes had not allowed Chokamela to enter the temple either as he too belonged to Mahar caste, nor did they allow him to stand in the door of the temple. So he had to build a hut on the other side of the river Chandrabhaga. Chokha’s samadhi is in front of the Vitthal temple.