Dhauli Hils

Dhauligiri Hills

Dhauligiri Hills is a place marked with the serenity of Daya River and lies at a distance of 8 Km from Bhubaneswar. 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 come to visiting a Buddhist pilgrimage, one finds a list of pilgrimages dedicated 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.

Dhauli Hills Bhubaneswar – Dhauli hills form to be an important Buddhist pilgrimage. The Shanti Stupa at Dhauli Hills is a significant symbol of love and peace. The pilgrimage is significant because here King Ashoka resigned from violent wars. After witnessing the devastating sight of blood filled land and the Daya River that obtained red color because of the merciless slaughter of around 1, 50, 000 warriors, King Ashoka was filled with sheer grief And therefore decided to renounce wars completely all through the rest of his life. It is at Dhauli that Ashoka resorted to Buddhism and presented his sword in frot of Lord Buddha.

Lumbini Buddhist Pilgrimage – Lumbini has Buddhist significance attached to it and is extremely holy because it is the place of the birth of Lord Buddha. It is Buddhist pilgrimage consisting of a beautiful garden close to Nepal and is surrounded with a number of temples and ruins that are under construction and preservation. Here, you also spot the Asoaka Pillar with inscriptions. Tourists travel through numerous hotels in Bhaiwara but for accommodation, it is better to stay in temples.

Bodhgaya Buddhist Pilgrimage – Bodhgaya is a much frequented Buddhist pilgrimage where Lord Buddha gained enlightenment. In Bodhgaya, the main place to visit is the Mahabodhi temple. In the vicinity of the Falgu River and in the centrtal Bihar, you have Bodhgaya. Other things that you must spot here are the new Bodhi tree as well as the red sandstone slab that was the sitting place of Lord Buddha. Apart from this, there is the archeological museum as well as various monasteries and temples that are visited by Buddhist devotees.

Sarnath Buddhist Pilgrimage – After that, you have Sarnath, which is a popular Buddhist pilgrimage since it is here that Buddha preached his first sermon. At Sarnath, one witnesses 14 monasteries 23 stupas, the largest of which is the Dhamekh Stupa that was constructed in 500 A.D. Here, one also spots the remains of the Chaukhandi Stupa that was built in the Gupta period and that is important because here the five disciples of Buddha got together.

Kushinagar Buddhist Pilgrimage – Kushinagar is an important Buddhist pilgrimage, which is the last place of abode of Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha got relieved from the shackles of death and life at this place. Buddha took his last breath close to the Hiranyavati River. As one visits this place, one much head towards the Mahaparinirvana Temple where one spots the reclining statue of Buddha. The city named as Thai Kusinara is also worth visiting.

Kaushambi Buddhist Pilgrimage – This is a place which is important as numerous Buddha sermons and preaching were given here. After coming to this place, one finds the ruins of the Ghositaram Monastery, the old fort as well as the Ashokan Pillar. After the excavations done at this place, various sculptures and coins were found. Because of this reason, this place has religious as well as archeological significance.

Kalra Buddhist Caves – This is considered to be one of the biggest Chaitya caves when it is a matter of Buddhist Caves. The cave has a height of 16 meters and a width of 15 meters. The cave consists of roofs made up of wooden beams that has remained to be the strength of this cave and preserved it from the attack of natural elements for over 2000 years.

Ajanta and Ellora Buddhist Caves – One can visit and explore the awe inspiring Ajanta and Ellora Caves that are recognized as UNESCO’s world heritage sites. Ajanta caves are thirty in number and represent two Buddhist thoughts named as Hinayana and Mahayana. They showcase a number of paintings and sculptures consisting of the pictures of domestic life and street scenes.

Kapilvatsu Buddhist Pilgrimage – Kapilvastu is known for being the place which served as a dwelling for Siddaratha Gautama in the initial part of his life. After witnessing disease, death as well as various pleasures of life, Lord Buddha came across the sight of a saint who had succeeded over the pains and pleasures of life. This compelled Buddha to head towards the way to salvation. One spots a number of stupas at this place.