Dhauli Shanti Stupa

About Dhauli Shanti Stupa, Bhubaneswar

White peace pagoda overlooking the Daya River

• Dhauli Giri stands on a small hill eight kilometers south of Bhubaneswar beside the Daya River, the presumed battleground of the Kalinga War in 261 BCE.
• The white domed stupa itself was constructed in 1972 through a joint collaboration between the Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangha and the Government of Odisha.
• Stone panels around the dome illustrate scenes from Gautama Buddha's life, alongside carvings of Emperor Ashoka renouncing violence.
• Near the base of the hill, an excavation shelter preserves Rock Edict number eight, carved directly into a rock face with a sculpted elephant head jutting out above the inscription.
• The winter months from October to March offer mild mornings and cool evenings for walking up the hill.
• The stupa grounds stay open daily from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM without an admission fee.