Ambedkar Jayanti 2022: History, significance and bank holiday

Dr BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary is celebrated on April 14.

Ambedkar Jayanti also known as Bhim Jayanti is an annual festival observed on 14 April in honour of polymath and civil rights activist BR Ambedkar who was born on 14 April 1891.

The day has been marked as an official public holiday throughout India but it's celebrated around the world.

Since Ambedkar advocated for equality throughout his life, his birth anniversary is celebrated as 'Equality Day' in India.

On this day, citizens pay tributes to Ambedkar, processions are carried out by his followers at Chaitya Bhoomi in Mumbai and Deeksha Bhoomi in Nagpur. It is also customary for the President, Prime Minister and leaders of major political parties to pay homage at the statue of Ambedkar at the parliament in New Delhi.

Since, Ambedkar fought against class discrimination, his birth anniversary is a major event for dalits, adivasi, labour workers, women and those who embraced Buddhism following his example.

In 2020 -- for the first time -- online celebrations marked Ambedkar Jayanti across the world.

The day is a public holiday in more than 25 states and union territories of India, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Ladakh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Pondicherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal etc.

Banks to stay shut on Ambedkar Jayanti
Banks will be closed in many states on Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar's birth anniversary. Only those in Himachal Pradesh and Meghalaya will stay open.

According to the RBI website, banks will be shut because some states will also be observing Mahavir Jayanti, Baisakhi, Vaisakhi, Tamil New Year's Day, Cheiraoba, Biju Festival and Bohag Bihu.