Dhauli #AToZChallenge

Dhauli hill (Dhauligiri) is located on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. The hill has a famous monument- 'Peace Pagoda' or 'Shanti Stupa' atop it. As the name suggests, the 'Shanti Stupa' was built to commemorate the triumph of 'peace' and to explain the importance of non-violence.

Dhauligiri is located on the banks of the River Daya. The area was the battlefield of the Kalinga War in 261 BC. It is said that the Kalinga War caused such a lot of bloodshed that the colour of the water of River Daya turned red. The word 'Daya' means compassion. The Kalinga War reformed and transformed bloodthirsty Ashoka (Chandasok) to a peace-loving religious Ashoka (Dhammasok). 

The Shanti Stupa can be spotted from the road while travelling from Bhubaneswar to Puri or vice-versa. Dhauli was built in the 1970s by the Japan Buddha Sangha and the Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangha.

Some rock edicts of Ashoka can be viewed on the way to the Dhauli hill summit. 

Dhauli has four great statues of Buddha in different positions. The blissful and serene ambiance delights visitors.

On the Day-3 of the 4th Kalinga International Buddhist Conclave, all the delegates visited Dhauli in the early morning. Monks from different parts of the world had congregated and treated the audience to a mesmerizing performance. 

They stood on the steps of Dhauli and chanted hymns and played traditional musical instruments.
The entire atmosphere was charged up and one could feel the positive energy.

You can watch my video here: 

Dhauligiri is a must-visit in your next trip to Odisha.

Post for my second #atozchallenge. D for Dhauli, Daya

My Theme is- "Odisha- The Soul of Incredible India".
Odisha is a state in the eastern part of India. Have you visited Odisha and India? 

I will be sharing some glimpses from Odisha. Do keep reading and discovering!