Dhauli

Dhauli is a low hill on the banks of the Daya River in Odisha, India, noted for its association with the Kalinga War and for rock inscriptions of Emperor Ashoka dating to the 3rd century BCE. The site is marked by an easily recognisable white Peace Pagoda and the surviving Ashokan edicts.

The hilltop area contains the Dhauli Shanti Stupa (Peace Pagoda) and visible rock-cut inscriptions that record Ashoka’s edicts. The location is visited for its historical inscriptions, religious symbolism and views over the river plain.

Historically the site is linked to the Kalinga War, the conflict that prompted Ashoka’s embrace of dhamma and the commissioning of rock edicts across his realm in the mid 3rd century BCE. The modern Peace Pagoda was built in the 20th century as a monument to nonviolence and reconciliation.

Dhauli lies on the Daya River plain, roughly 8 to 10 kilometres south of Bhubaneswar in Odisha, and is accessed by road from the state capital.

• Ashokan inscriptions: The site's rock edicts date to the reign of Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE and mark the area associated with the Kalinga War.
• Peace Pagoda: The hilltop Peace Pagoda is a 20th-century construction that commemorates peace and Ashoka's post-war conversion to nonviolence.

What to See #

• Dhauli Shanti Stupa: A white-domed Peace Pagoda on the hilltop provides a focal point for visitors and pilgrims and is visible across the surrounding plain.
• Ashokan rock edicts: Rock faces at the site carry Ashokan inscriptions and rock edicts dating to the 3rd century BCE, which record royal edicts and moral injunctions.
• Viewpoint and interpretation: A riverside viewpoint and small interpretation area allow views over the Daya River plain and the site associated with the Kalinga War.