Kalinga War

                                                                 Kalinga War

The Kalinga battle is one of the bloodiest battles in Indian History.  No such war has ever  been fought in Indian subcontinent.  Its results were very devastating that it changed the life ideas of ruthless Mauryan Emperor, Ashok the Great.  After this war Ashoka adopted Buddhism.  After this war Ashoka dropped the rule of expansion of Mauryan Empire.  After this battle Ashoka ruled Mauryan dynasty for forty years with peace, prosperity and harmony.  The life in his empire was so peaceful that he was rewarded with the title “Ashoka the Great”.

From the very ancient times the state Kalinga (now Orissa) maintained the identity as a power State. Its extension was from river Ganga to Godavari including eastern seal coastal of India.

This battle was fought in 261 B.C. and Mauryan Dynasty won this war.  In this battle millions of people lost their life. Geographer Ptolemy’s Gerini came to conclusion that, “The mighty people of Kalinga had established an empire in Burma long before Asoka led his victorious soldiers into Kalinga”.

Kaling Military was very much powerful. Elephants forces was also the reason of Kalinga‘s powerful military. Megasthenes who was in the court of Chandragupta strengthened the military power.

The reason of Kalinga war was the defeat of Chandragupta and Bindusara.  Chandragupta Maurya was the founder of throne of Magdha in 273 BC.  Ashoka like his father and grandfather wanted to expand his empire.

During the times of Nanda dynasty Kalinga was also the part of Magadha Empire. Chandragupta defeated Nandas to expand Mauryan dynasty but could not succeed to takeover Kalinga. Kalinga was an independent state.  Chandraguta and Bindusara wanted to re- conquer it but they could not succeed. Ashoka wanted to conquer it again. In its opposite, due to trade with Java, Malay and Ceylon Kalinga was much prosperous and the power of military was at its peak.

Ashoka in his 12^th year of reign sent a message to Kalinga’s ruler to surrender Kalinga.  Ruler of Kalinga refused Ashoka to submit.  His refusal became the reason of Kalinga war in 261 B.C.

The Mauryan forces was led by Emperor Ashoka and in his opposition was the Kalinga ruler Anantha Padmanabhan.  In this battle Emperor Ashok was present physically.

This battle started Dhauli hill and after this the whole State of Kalinga turned into this battle.  In the  battle 150,000 worriors of Kalinga and 100,000 warriors of Mauryan warriors lost their lives. In this battle Ashoka won but it turned the life ideals of Ashoka. Ashoka sent his missionaries to Srilanka, Macedonia, Greece and Syria to spread the message of Buddhism and peace.