January 05 (Citizen.lk News) - A group of Buddhist monks undertaking a 120-day, 2,300-mile “Walk for Peace” across the United States has updated its route, announcing this weekend that they will head toward Columbia, South Carolina, instead of continuing northeast from Atlanta through Athens, Georgia, as originally planned. The monks expect to arrive in Columbia by the end of January, stopping in Saluda along the way.
The journey began in late October when 19 monks set off from Fort Worth, Texas, with a final destination of Washington, D.C. Their mission is to spread a message of peace, unity, and healing at a time of deep social and political division. The trek is expected to conclude in February with a gathering at the U.S. Capitol, where the monks plan to share reflections on compassion and resilience with the public.
The monks, clad in traditional orange robes and carrying walking sticks, are traveling with minimal possessions. Alongside them walks Aloka, a loyal rescue dog who has become a symbol of the pilgrimage. Aloka first joined the Sangha during a peace walk in India, where he followed the monks for 112 days despite illness and injury. Now a “U.S. citizen,” as spiritual leader Bhikkhu Pannakara jokingly describes him, Aloka has captured hearts across America, often seen wearing a bandana or coat and receiving water and treats from strangers.
Support for the monks has been overwhelming. On December 29, they passed through a suburb of Atlanta and were greeted by a large crowd of well-wishers. Their Facebook page, which has amassed more than 400,000 followers, documents each stop along the way, showing locals offering food, medical care, and encouragement. Many of the monks walk barefoot, relying on the kindness of communities they encounter.
Bhikkhu Pannakara, vice president of the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center, emphasized the spiritual purpose of the journey before setting off. “I ask for your permission to lead this journey,” he said, noting that senior monks from Laos, Taiwan, and Vietnam are part of the group. He explained that wherever they travel, local monks often join for several days, reinforcing the sense of shared purpose.
The updated route through Columbia highlights the monks’ intention to visit state capitals and government buildings, engaging with communities and leaders along the way. Their posts describe the walk as a collective effort: “We do not walk alone. We walk together with every person whose heart has opened to peace, whose spirit has chosen kindness, whose daily life has become a garden where understanding grows.”
The Walk for Peace is more than a physical journey. It is a symbolic reminder that unity and kindness begin within individuals and can radiate outward to families, communities, and society as a whole. With each step, the monks embody resilience, calmness, and determination, carrying their message of peace across America — and now, toward Columbia.
