Varsha PandeyShanti Stupa Dhauligiri is also known as Peace Pagda.
Dhauligiri is 7 km from Bhubaneswar.
When a person travels from Bhubaneswar to Puri, they look for a Shanti stupa.
The word “shanti” in the name itself suggests peace.
King Ashoka set out on the path of peace and tranquility and converts to Buddhism.
and laid the foundation of the Dhauligiri Shanti Stupa at the site famous for ending the Kalinga War.
Here you can find the Buddha’s decrees.
it became a place of devotion and worship for different people belonging to different generations.
Here you can also see several stupas, chaityas, and pillars which King Ashoka laid the foundation for.
There are also many decrees that reflect King Ashoka’s intention to spread joy, peace, and contentment throughout the world.
And above the edict, you will see an elephant carved into the rock which is considered to be the oldest Buddhist sculpture in Orissa.
The entire structure of the stupa is dome-shaped.
Buddha’s footprints and the Bodhi tree can be seen on the stone slab.
On the panel we can also see an image of Ashoka holding a sword of war in front of the Buddha, suggesting that he has completely abandoned his thoughts of war.
Next to this stupa is the Saddharma Vihar Monastery, frequented by Buddhists.
Not far from the Shanti Stupa is the Dhavaleshwar Temple.
The temple was renovated in 1972 and is frequented by both Hindus and Buddhists.
More about Dhauligir
The Dhauli Shanti Stupa or the Peace Pagoda was built by the Japan Buddha Sangha and the Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangha in 1972.
on the site where the famous Kalinga War was fought.
the Dhauli Stupa commemorates the mission of peace that the Kalinga War achieved.
Noted historian Shri. Ramesh Prasad Mohapatra aptly said – “The political history of mankind, in reality, is a history of wars and no war has ended with so successful a mission of peace for the entire war-torn humanity as the war of Kalinga”.
Any article on Dhauli Shanti Stupa is incomplete without a brief on the Kalinga War
Kalinga War
The war was believed to have been fought in 261 BC. The reason for Ashoka invading Kalinga were primarily two things
1. Kalinga was a prosperous land governed by valiant fiercely independent feudal chiefs and had no organized army as such.
2. None other than Chandragupta Maurya had failed to invade Kalinga. According to popular legend the Daya River which meanders along the Dhauli hill turned red due to blood spilled on it from the battlefield.
According to popular legend the Daya River which meanders along the Dhauli hill turned red due to blood spilled on it from the battlefield. The carvings in the Udayagiri caves located at Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar denotes that even women and teenagers took to the battle to defend their motherland. So fierce was the battle that it left Ashoka bewildered and he transformed from Chanda Ashoka (war mongering Ashoka) to Dharma Ashoka (peace loving Ashoka). Sadly the record books don’t have any mention about the commander of the Kalinga Army.
The light and sound show elucidating the travails of Ashoka is a must watch.
Festival of Dhauligiri
The Kalinga Dhauli Mahotsav
The three-day festival usually in the month of February features a heady mix of classical music, classical dance, and martial art dance forms.
The festival is by the Odisha Tourism Department.
And features some of the legendary musicians, dancers, and popular martial art dance forms from across the country.
There is no entry fee to the festival.
Reach Dhauligiri in Odisha
Located at a distance of 8 km south of Bhubaneswar, Dhauli is well connected with the capital of Orissa.
Reaching Dhauli in Odisha
– Bhubaneshwar is just 8 km while Puri is 60 km and Cuttack is 25 km
Reaching Dhauli by Rail – Dhauli is very near to Bhubaneswar which is well connected with Rail Network throughout Orissa.
Reach Dhauli by Air – Nearest Airport is at Bhubaneswar
Places near to visit Dhauligiri
Dhauligiri Hills
The famous rock edicts of Ashoka are worth witnessing.
Moreover, it is in Dhauli Hills that adopted the path of dharma which lets only peace and love enter your lives.
The concept of dharma- Vijay became his ultimate goal.
as he took Buddhist teachings deep into his heart.
The end of the bloody battles was only to serve and favor mankind.
With this, the religious and spiritual beliefs of Buddhism spread to different parts of the world.
Dhauli Hills in Bhubaneswar takes you to the site of the Vishwa Shanti Stupa.
The dome structure of the Shanti Stupa possesses five umbrellas and they symbolize the five essential parts of Buddhism.
Buddhist Pilgrimage
When it comes to visiting a Buddhist pilgrimage, one finds a list of pilgrimages to lord Buddha that attract a series of devotees. Here is a list of different Buddhist pilgrimages that are worth visiting in the life of every follower of Lord Buddha
Buddha Monuments
Buddhist monuments are awe-inspiring edifices that showcase compelling architecture as well as the sheer religion of Buddhism.
Various states of India such as Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, etc.
Buddhist Monasteries
Buddhist monasteries are from the 4th century B.C.
Monasteries are also the gompas.
that are visits by tourists from across the world.
Buddhist heritage has been preserved, reworked as well as restored for ages.
Accommodation In Dhauli
At Bhubaneshwar, you can get a good hotel.
Various Luxury, as well as budget hotels, are the available city.
