The Kalinga War was fought
between the Mauryan peror Ashoka and Raja
Anantha Padmanabhan of Kalinga in 262-261
B.C. It was the only major war Ashoka fought
after his accession to throne. Ho ever, it is one of
the major and bloodiest battle world history. The
bloodshed of this war is said to have prompted
Ashoka to adopt Buddhism.