Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    What's Hot

    Maa Varahi Temple of Chaurasi: Obscure and Beautiful

    March 6, 2022

    Kalinga War: The Victory of Amity over Violence

    March 6, 2022

    The Battle of Tukaroi: The End of The Bengal Sulanate

    March 6, 2022
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Facebook Twitter Instagram Vimeo
    OdishaLifeStyle
    Subscribe Login
    • Home
    • Locations
      • Hidden Places
    • Culture
      1. Arts and Crafts
      2. Literature
      3. View All

      Pipili: Odisha’s Manual Of Applique Work

      February 8, 2022

      Terracotta and Odisha: Bonding Over Ages

      February 8, 2022

      Stone And Wood Carvings: A Tale Of Inseparable Beauty

      February 8, 2022

      Dhokra And Brassware: The Tribal Souvenirs Of Odisha

      February 8, 2022

      Mukteshwar Temple: Small and yet Significant

      February 8, 2022

      Odia Literature: From The Beginning to Now

      February 8, 2022

      Bande Utkala Janani: From Freedom Movement to State Anthem

      February 8, 2022

      Manoj Das : An Epitome of Odia Literature

      February 8, 2022

      Durga Puja : A Festival of Fervour

      February 9, 2022

      Utkal Divas: The Glorious Day for a United Odisha

      February 9, 2022

      Gotipua Dance: A Mirror to Ethos of Hindu Culture

      February 9, 2022

      Odissi : The Dance That Describes Odisha

      February 9, 2022
    • Events
      • Disaster
    • Editorial
      • Health
    • Food & Drink
    • Personalities
    • Stories
      • Modern History
    • Announcements
    OdishaLifeStyle
    Home»Locations»Dhauligiri: Where Ashoka Lost and Won
    Locations

    Dhauligiri: Where Ashoka Lost and Won

    Dinabandhu NayakBy Dinabandhu NayakFebruary 9, 2022Updated:February 9, 2022No Comments3 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp VKontakte Email
    20
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Those of us who still remember school level history may recall that once upon a time in the ancient past, India was not a united country but a collection of feuding territories and kingdoms. From this chaos rose the Maurya Empire. Headed by the founder Chandragupta Maurya, this empire united the various quarrelling kingdoms into a cohesive territory. It was his grandson however, who contributed the most to this empire. At its height the Maurya Empire encompassed the whole of present day India, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh except North-East India and some parts of South India. Most of this was conquered by Chandragupta.

    However, history would know Ashoka as ‘The Great’ not for his conquest of Kalinga but for his philanthropy. He was the foremost proponent of Buddhism and nonviolence. But how did this change from bloodthirsty conqueror to devout Buddhist come from?

    Lets go back to the past to about 260 BCE. At the time Ashoka was waging war on Kalinga. The warzone was the Dhauligiri hills just outside present day Bhubaneshwar by the side of the Daya river. You have to remember that ancient warfare did not involve armies beating each other bloody. There were very little professional soldiers. Most of the soldiers were farmers who had been pressed into service but had little experience. If an army lost enough soldiers, the rest would rout and the battle would be lost by their side.

    However, Kalinga was in this war for its existence. So the whole of Kalinga turned into a battlefield. It would become the bloodiest and most violent war ever fought in ancient India. According to Ashoka’s Edict XIII, 100,000 on Kalinga’s side were killed and an equivalent number from Ashoka’s side. Many more died of other causes like disease and famine. 150,000 were deported. It is said that the battle of Dhauli was so bloody that the river Daya bled red with blood.

    Ashoka was horrified at the look of the battlefield. He vowed to never fight a war again and embraced Buddhism. Afterwards he commissioned a series of works on Dhauligiri to show his commitment to non-violence. It is these stupas, pillars and edicts that we can see scattered around Dhauli.

    In the 1970s, the Japan Buddha Sangha and the Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangha built the white coloured Shanti Stupa. Located on top of the hill, this structure looks over all of the adjoining valleys and hills and can be seen from quite far away. Currently it plays host to a sound and light show every evening.

    There is also an ancient Shiva Temple on the hill which is quite popular with devotees at Shivaratri. Observation points have built along the river side so that visitor can enjoy the scenery in comfort.

    To sum it up Ashoka lost his violent nature and arrogance on the shores on the Daya river and turned from Chandashoka to Dharmashoka. In this he gained the wisdom to build up his kingdom into a prosperous empire that is admired even today.

    We had stopped here on the way from Puri to Bhubaneshwar and sadly did not have much time to photograph the various Ashokan pillars and edicts around the place. We hope that we’ll once again be able to go there and document all those things we missed the first time around.

    Ashoka Dhauli Dhauligiri Kalinga Shanti Stupa Video War
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
    Previous ArticleDaringbadi: Lone Hill Station in Odisha
    Next Article Champanath & Mahadevi Temples: Legacies of the Old World
    Dinabandhu Nayak

    Related Posts

    Maa Varahi Temple of Chaurasi: Obscure and Beautiful

    March 6, 2022

    Kalinga War: The Victory of Amity over Violence

    March 6, 2022

    Bhitarkanika National Park: Native Wildlife and Nature

    March 4, 2022

    Olasuni: The Hill, The Temple & The Fair

    March 4, 2022

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Our Picks
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Vimeo
    Don't Miss

    Maa Varahi Temple of Chaurasi: Obscure and Beautiful

    By OdishaLifeStyleMarch 6, 20220

    In Chaurasi, Odisha, there is a temple called Varahi Deula which is an ancient Hindu…

    Kalinga War: The Victory of Amity over Violence

    March 6, 2022

    The Battle of Tukaroi: The End of The Bengal Sulanate

    March 6, 2022

    Manabasa Gurubar: Odisha seeks for Sukh, Shanti and Aishwarya

    March 5, 2022

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from SmartMag about art & design.

    About Us
    About Us

    Your source for the lifestyle news. This demo is crafted specifically to exhibit the use of the theme as a lifestyle site. Visit our main page for more demos.

    We're accepting new partnerships right now.

    Email Us: [email protected]
    Contact: +91-94399-xxxxx

    Our Picks
    New Comments
      Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
      • Home
      • Editorial
      • Stories
      • Culture
      © 2022 OdishaLifeStyle. Powered partner OdishaShop.

      Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

      Sign In or Register

      Welcome Back!

      Login to your account below.

      Lost password?