Sources:
A Look Into the Quirks & Habits of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Pratikshit Singh in The Mooknayak
‘Babasaheb played the violin, I danced’, Indian Express
Ambedkar and Food by Ashok Gopal in On Eating magazine
Reminiscences and Remembrances of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Nanak Chand Rattu
Ambedkar: The Attendant Details, Edited by Salim Yusufji
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Card 1 :
Graphics on card : An illustrated figure of Dr. Ambedkar is shown to be sitting on a chair with his eyes closed and his legs on a foot-stool, with a book in his hands. Light from outside is falling on him from a window, through which pink flowers are visible.
Text on cards : The Pleasures of Dr. Ambedkar
Card 2 :
Graphics on card : The back of the figure of Dr. Ambedkar is facing us. Dr. Ambedkar is playing the violin. There are musical notes around the figure and the text, “The pleasure of a challenge, the exhilaration of effort.”, separated by a comma, is on either side.
Text on cards : By the age of 59, Dr. Ambedkar had completed his PhD, become India’s Union Law Minister and drafted the Constitution. Then, he decided to do something new. He decided to learn how to play the violin. For two years, if someone came to meet him during his practise session, they had to wait.
Card 3 :
Graphics on card : Dr. Ambedkar’s figure is spreading his arms out with a violin in his left hand. There is a red heart on the pocket of his shirt. This resembles Shahrukh Khan's pose with a violin in one hand and arms stretched out for a hug from the film Mohabattein.
Text on cards : “In the year 1950 Mr. Rege, the librarian of Siddhartha College, introduced me to Babasaheb. In the beginning, I and my elder brother both, were reluctant to give lessons to such an elderly and scholarly man like Babasaheb. But after meeting him and experiencing the playful atmosphere he received us in, we noticed the sense of humor of Babasaheb…and agreed.” - Dr. Balwant Sathe, Dr. Ambedkar’s violin teacher.
Card 4 :
Graphics on card : There are seven signatures in black of popular figures around Dr. Ambedkar’s signature which is in the middle, enlarged and in pink.
Text on cards : Dr. Ambedkar’s signature is famous and familiar. It’s on the Signature page of the Constitution and we often see it on the backs of cars.
Card 5 :
Graphics on card : There is a ruled paper on which there is a text that says, ‘the joy of writing can be sensory, as well as intellectual!’, in cursive. There is a hand holding a calligraphy pen on the right, near the end of the text.
Text on cards : Coursing under that flourish of Dr. Ambedkar’s signature was his love of beautiful fountain pens. He took great pleasure in picking them out. He liked them bulky. “The Doctor would try pen after pen on a writing pad, scrawling his broad sprawling autograph on its pages. At the end, he would grab half a dozen pens that he fancied and thrust them into this capacious coat pocket!” - U.R. Rao, Author and Publications Advisor, Thacker and Co. Bombay
Card 6 :
Graphics on card : There is a hand on the right which is holding a pan in the middle of the card. There are coated dried fishes in the pan from which wafts of steam are emanating. There is a cloud bubble below it with the text, “Everybody who comes to meet me must be well-fed!”
Text on cards : Bombil chutney was a favourite of Dr. Ambedkar’s. His wife, Ramabai, used to cook the dried fish with onions, tomatoes and spices the way Babasaheb liked it. And he loved feeding others too, to share in the pleasures of tasty food.
Card 7 :
Graphics on card : There is a plate of dried fishes from which wafts of steam are emanating. There is cutlery on either side of the plate, arranged in the order of increasing size towards the plate.
Text on cards : Dr. Ambedkar also loved the meal as a buffet of pleasurable experiences. He had different sets of the finest crockery and cutlery for different meals. And a hot plate by his dining table specifically because food had to be enjoyed hot hot hot!
Card 8 :
Graphics on card : The figure of Dr. Ambedkar is surrounded by four branches of some pink flowers. Dr. Ambedkar is holding up flowers close to his face, and a cane in the other hand. There is a text above his head which says, ‘Aaaah…the magnificent Orchidaceae!’
Text on cards : Ambedkar’s garden was a place of pleasure - the pleasure of attention as well as leisure. He sourced specimens for the garden with care. He even learnt their Latin names.
Card 9 :
Graphics on card : The figure of Dr. Ambedkar is again sitting on a chair as in Card 1.
Text on cards : “ (Buddha says) Hunger is the worst of diseases. Health is the greatest of gifts, contentedness the best riches…We must learn to live happily indeed…” - From Dr. Ambedkar’s book, ‘The Buddha and His Dhamma’ Pleasure expresses our most human selves That’s what makes it a human right That’s why, pleasure is political!
