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The
recent findings from excavations and the identifications of a number of sites with
Buddhist remains open up a new vista in the field of Buddhist Tourism in
Orissa.
Dhauli hill on the bank of the river Daya is a little away from the main road to
Puri/Konark from
Bhubaneswar
.
Ashoka changed his mind in favour of spiritual conquests in preference to war
exploits after the Kalinga was which was fought here in the 3rd century
B.C. This place motivated the Kalinga Nippon-Buddha Sangha to establish a peace
pagoda or Shanti Stupa at Dhauli along with the construction of a monastery called
Saddharma Vihar.
| Lalitagiri,
the earliest Buddhist complex of 1st century A.D. has a huge
brickmonastery, the remains of a chaitya hall, a number of votive stupas and a
renovated stone stupa at the apex of a small rugged sand stone hill dominates the
rural greenery around.
At
Ratnagiri, excavations revealed the establishment of a
Buddhist centre from the time of Narasimha Gupta Baladitya
(first half of the sixth century A.D.).
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At Udaigiri excavations brought to light a sprawling complex
of brick monastery with a number of
Buddhist sculptures. Infact the entire area is found located at the foot hills of
a large hill acting as the backdrop of the area.
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