He joined the Elphinstone High School in
Bombay.
The family found a house in a locality where the poorest of the poor lived. There was
just one room for the entire family. This was at once the kitchen, the bedroom and the
study. There was not space enough even for two to sleep. Bhim would go to bed early. Near
his head there was a grinding stone and at his feet a goat. The father would be awake till
two in the night. He would then lie down. The boy would get up, light the kerosene lamp
without a chimney and begin to study.
In the high school he received a wound he could never forget in his life. It was
Bhims desire to learn sanskrit. Other Hindus of the School could learn Sanskrit. But
it was ordered that he should not learn Sankskrit because he belonged to the Mahar cast!
People born in other countries, people not Hindus at all were allowed to read the Vedas.
No one objected. This injustice made him all the more bitter.
But Ambedkar did learn Sanskrit in later life.