BHUBANESWAR: Peace is the only way to a better and beautiful world, said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the golden jubilee celebrations of Dhauli Shanti Stupa here on Friday.
Joining hundreds of Buddhist monks from Japan, America, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, the Chief Minister said, “Peace has no alternative and it has its significance for all ages. Peace is the only way to achieve the goals of a better and beautiful world.”
The Chief Minister announced the construction of in-stream storage on Daya river at an estimated cost of Rs 95 crore on the occasion. The tender process for the project has already been started.
Referring to the glorious history of Odisha, he said it starts with Dhauli and the Kalinga War. The Pagoda is situated eight km from the State capital on the banks of Daya river and it was where the historical Kalinga war was fought and won by Emperor Ashoka in the second century BC.
“Although the war ended with massive bloodshed here, Dhauli stands testimony to the moral victory of humanity ... The Shanti Stupa stands here as a monument symbolising and spreading the message of peace, harmony and progress,” he said.
Stating that the Odisha government has taken steps for the beautification and holistic development of Dhauli Shanti Stupa, he said the Pagoda is a ‘great creation’ of modern architecture and bears testimony to Indo-Japanese friendship.
Offering his tributes to revered Nichidatsu Fuji Guruji of Japan, Nipponzan Myohoji, for his invaluable contribution to building the Shanti Stupa, he thanked the Kalinga-Nippon Buddha Sangha. Naveen also thanked Revered Takao Takedo of Japan, bhikshu and bhikshuni of Nipponzan Myohoji for conducting the morning prayer on Monday.