The monks do not carry any party or country flags, nor any slogans or speeches. They are accompanied by a dog named 'Aloka'. But this journey has now captured the attention of the whole world.
What you should know
Thousands of kilometers away from Kathmandu. The highways, small towns, and villages have seen a slightly different scene in recent days. Monks dressed in saffron robes. Long staffs in their hands, bags slung over their right and left shoulders.
They are accompanied by a white-brown and striped dog named ‘Aloka’. The monks do not carry any party or national flag, nor do they carry any slogans or speeches. But this journey has now captured the attention of the world.
This is no ordinary walk, it is a spiritual ritual to sow the seeds of ‘peace, awareness and compassion’ in a world that is becoming increasingly turbulent and divided. This ‘Walk for Peace’, which began on October 26 from the Vietnamese Buddhist Meditation Center in Fort Worth, Texas, is 2,300 miles (3,700 kilometers) long. The destination is Washington, D.C. The journey is expected to end in mid-February.
They did not set out on the walk to promote religion or oppose religion. The monks say, ‘This is a meditation with a message of self-reflection and compassion.’
The trek is being led by monk Pannakara. He walks barefoot. The stones, nails, glass and hot blacktop have injured his feet. But he says, ‘Above the pain is the awareness of peace.’
Before starting the trek, they wrote on their official social media to ‘spread peace.’ ‘A walk for peace is a simple but meaningful reminder. Which can spread unity and compassion within each of us, in our families, communities, and societies.’
The trek is not easy. A monk lost his leg in an accident during the trek. According to Atlanta News First, on November 11, a monk from Texas, Prajna Mahadam, lost his left leg when a car hit him. But the rhythm of the journey did not stop. He was taken for treatment, but his friends continue to travel.
According to the information they gave on social media, they walk all day. They chat with people they meet on the way. Sometimes they sleep in tents under the open sky at night. Sometimes in the church courtyard, sometimes in farmers' fields, sometimes in parks.
Wherever they go, people come there themselves. Some have flowers in their hands, some bring food. Some who reach them are crying, while others walk with them to encourage them.
The seductive popularity of the silent journey
These monks, who are walking silently on the streets, have earned a very large following in the digital world. The popularity of this team on social media is seductive. Their number of followers on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok has exceeded one million. CNN, ABC News, US Today, AP, New York Post and other famous news organizations have also featured the monks' trek as special content. In America, millions of people are commenting that 'America needed this message right now'.
Various videos of the monks' trek are abundant on social media. Where they chat with those they meet on the journey. Some welcome them with bouquets of flowers. Some are crying and expressing their pain. Some tell stories of their lost loved ones. From children to the elderly, they are seen waiting for them. They are seen blessing those they meet during the journey and tying a 'blessing string' with affection on their hands.
The 'blessing string' that the monks tie on the hands of those they meet has now become an emotional symbol on social media. Their blog reads, ‘This thread reminds you, you are also part of this journey.’
The reason this journey is popular on social media is because of a dog named ‘Aloka’. ‘Aloka’, a dog walking with the monks, has now become the most famous dog on this journey. Sometimes sleeping on the side of the road, sometimes playing with people, sometimes running in the shadow of the monks, are viral on social media.
According to the leader of the journey, Prapannakara, ‘Aloka’ was a Sam dog from India. During the peace journey in India in 2022, he followed Pannakara to the Nepal border. Once, when he fell seriously ill, Pannakara carried him in his arms and protected him. Hence the name ‘Aloka’, meaning divine light. ‘When I get tired, I look at her (Aloka),’ says Pannakara, ‘and then I feel like walking again.’
As Aloka’s photos and videos go viral, many Americans have taken her as a ‘ray of hope in difficult times.’ Some followers have written, ‘Your journey has taught us to be kind and to stay calm by focusing on our breathing.’
A demanding practice
They have crossed six states during their trek. Wherever they have reached, locals have flocked to welcome them. Alabama pastor Patrick Hitchman Craig hosted the monks at his church on Christmas Eve. Hitchman Craig said, ‘Anyone who works for peace is close to the heart of Jesus, regardless of their religion.’
The team plans to make a special request to the US Congress after reaching Washington, D.C. After reaching Washington, D.C., the monks plan to ask the parliament there to recognize the day of the birth and enlightenment of the Buddha as a national holiday.
According to them, this will not only honor the teachings of the Buddha but also help spread the message of peace around the world. ‘Our main objective is simple,’ says Prapannakara, ‘Peace does not start with the state, it starts with the individual. One step, one breath, one mind.’
The journey has created a unique attraction in America, which seems divided by religion, politics and ideology. The crowd supporting and watching their journey has grown equally. ‘Every day, some painful incident is happening in the country. When I looked into their eyes, I saw peace,” Audrey Pierce, an American, told the AP.
Brooke Shedneck, a professor of theology at Rhodes College, also said the trip had inspired her. “These treks inspire people more through the sacrifice and dedication of the monks than through words,” she says.
Not everyone has taken their trip positively. Some have even commented on it as a religious campaign. Some locals have opposed the trip, especially after the monks gave a speech in the church courtyard. According to them, the monks came to preach in the name of peace.
However, Monk Pannakara has denied the accusations and claimed that his trip was not a protest or a means of proselytizing. “Our aim is only to inspire people to find peace in their daily lives.”
(With the help of the agency)
