Dhauli Giri Hill- The Oldest Buddist Verdicts in India

The next destination that we visited was the Dhauli Giri hill. It is one of the most significant and historical attractions here. The architecture of the building completely distinguishes it from other places of historic importance in the city. All of us were looking forward to this place. I knew it was going to be an experience of the lifetime for us.

Situated 8 kilometers away from the city the place is very famous for its serenity and beautiful nature. It lies at the banks of River Dhaya and houses the verdicts of King Ashoka. This place was the battle ground of the Kalinga war and a the famous Shanti Stupa( Peace Pagoda) stands majestically on the top of this hills.

Shanti Stupa at Dhauli Giri | Image Resource : en.wikipedia.org

It is believed that during the war the river turned red due to bloodshed in the war. The king realizes the bad impact of war and become a Buddhist propagator. The building today is symbolic of the past of Kalinga war and it signifies the concerns the mankind of Budha through his verdicts and it also showcases how he earned wisdom eventually through dedication and sacrifices. I was pondering upon how much this great man had to suffer for their noble cause. And the dedication and determination portrayed by him is commendable.

We walked around the Shanti stupa, generally the Stupa is called as the Peace Pagoda and this is the major attraction of this place. It was built in 1972 by a Japan Buddha Sangh. This is regarded as the oldest rock cutting in India.

Statue of a lion at the Shanti Stupa at Dhauli Giri Hills | Image Resource : en.wikipedia.org

I was really amazed by the architecture beauty of the structure. This magnificent structure is spherically shaped and doomed with five protrusions which denote the five significant facet of Budhism. The Stupa is decked with several stones and reclining Buddha, Elephants, horseback, sleeping lady and the foot prints of great Buddha.

There was so much to watch and learn in this place that the time we spent didn’t seem enough and I would love to visit this place again if possible. As we left the place my mind was filled with thoughts of Budha and his verdicts.