Bhubaneswar is the state capital of Odisha (formerly known as Orissa), India. Utkal and Kalinga are two other names for Odisha. Bhubaneswar is known as the " Temple City of India " since it is home to over 1000 temples. There are many Kalingan temples here, which are a combination of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain heritage. Bhubaneswar is also known as " Ekamra Kshetra ". Although Bhubaneswar was formally founded in 1948, the origin of the modern city can be traced back to the 7th century BCE and earlier . On April 13, 1948 , the city’s foundation stone was laid by India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru . The city is famous for its ancient rich heritage particularly its historic monumental temples . With Puri ( Jagannath Temple ) and Konark ( Sun temple ) it forms the “ Golden Triangle ” (‘ Swarna Tribhuja ’), one of eastern India’s most popular tourist destinations. ( Sun Temple, Konark ) ( Jagannath Temple, Puri ) Bhubaneswar replaced Cuttack as
Dhauli Peace Pagoda ( Shanti Stupa ) is a well-known Buddhist heritage in India. The place is well known for its famous rock edicts of Ashoka, an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty ( from c. 268 to 232 BCE). Dhauli is 7 kilometres south of Bhubaneswar in Odisha, India, on the banks of the Daya River. The Dhauli Shanti Stupa (a white Peace Pagoda) was built by the Japan Buddha Sangha and the Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangha in 1972. The Peace Pagoda is built on the top of the Dhauli Hills, near the river bank of the Daya River. Ashoka converted to Buddhism: Dhauli is the place where the famous battle was fought between Emperor Ashoka and the Kalinga army (Kalinga: historical name of Odisha), after which Ashoka converted to Buddhism. According to popular legend the Daya River turned red due to blood spilled on it from the battlefield. Even women and teenagers joined the battle to protect their motherland. Emperor Ashoka won the war (c. 261 BCE), but the battle was