Buddhist monks and their dog captivate Americans while walking for peace

a group Buddhist monks and rescue dogs march single file on rural roads and highways in the South, captivating Americans across the country and flock of inspiring locals greeting them along the way.

Men march for peace in flowing robes of saffron and ocher. This is a meditation tradition more common in South Asian countries and is now finding resonance in the United States; it is apparently seen as a welcome respite from the conflict, trauma and politics that divide the country.

Their journey began on October 26, 2025, at a Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Texas and will end in mid-February in Washington, D.C., where they will seek recognition from Congress. Buddha’s birth and enlightenment day as a federal holiday. Beyond promoting peace, their top priority is connecting with people along the way.

“My hope is that when this walk is over, the people we met will continue to practice mindfulness and find peace,” said Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, the soft-spoken leader of the group who marched barefoot. At each stop, she teaches mindfulness, forgiveness, and healing.

Preferring to sleep in outdoor tents each night, the monks were surprised to find that their message transcended ideologies, drawing large crowds to churchyards, town halls and town squares in six states. Documenting their journey on social media, they and their dog Aloka have amassed millions of followers online. On Saturday, thousands descended on Columbia, South Carolina; here the monks chanted on the steps of the State House and received a proclamation from the city’s mayor, Daniel Rickenmann.

The physical cost of the long walk for monks

At their stop in Saluda, South Carolina, on Thursday, Audrie Pearce joined the crowds lining Main Street. She was four hours’ drive from Little River village and burst into tears when Pannakara handed her a flower.

“Traumatic and heartbreaking things happen every day in our country,” said Pearce, who describes himself as a spiritual person, though not religious. “I looked into their eyes and saw peace. They put their bodies through so much physical torture, but they still radiate peace.”

Nineteen monks from Theravada Buddhist monasteries around the world began their 2,300-mile (3,700-kilometer) trek at the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth.

Their journey was not without danger. On November 19, monks walked along US Highway 90 near Dayton, Texas. Escort vehicle hit by distracted truck driverHe injured two monks. The group was reduced to 18 due to someone losing a leg.

This is Pannakara’s first trip to the United States, but he has traveled through several South Asian countries, including a 112-day journey in India in 2022, where he first encountered Aloka, the Indian Pariah dog whose name means divine light in Sanskrit.

Then a stray dog ​​followed him and other monks from Calcutta in eastern India to the Nepal border. At one point, he fell critically ill and Pannakara took him in his arms and took care of him until he recovered. Now Aloka inspires him to keep going when he feels like giving up.

“I called him light because I want him to find the light of wisdom,” Pannakara said.

The monk’s feet are now heavily bandaged because he stepped on rocks, nails and glass along the way. Despite the pain from these injuries, he said mindfulness practice keeps him cheerful.

Still, crossing the southeastern United States presented unique challenges, and pounding the pavement day after day was brutal.

“In India we can make shortcuts through paddy fields and farms, but we can’t do that here because there is a lot of private property,” Pannakara said. “But what made it beautiful was that people welcomed us and welcomed us even though we didn’t know who we were or what we believed in.”

Churches, families and towns host monks on their way

In Opelika, Alabama, the Rev. Patrick Hitchman-Craig hosted monks at his United Methodist congregation on Christmas night.

He expected to see a small crowd, but nearly 1,000 people showed up, creating the feel of a block party. He said the priests were like the Magi who appeared on Jesus’ birthday.

“Anyone who works publicly and selflessly for peace in the world remains close to the heart of Jesus, whether they share our tradition or not,” Hitchman-Craig said. “I was blown away by the number of people and the diversity of those who came.”

After spending the night on the church grounds, the priests arrived at the Collins Farm in Cusseta, Alabama, the next afternoon. Judy Collins Allen, whose father and brother run the farm, said about 200 people came to meet the monks; This was the largest gathering he had ever witnessed here.

“There was calmness and warmth and a sense of community between people who had never met each other before, and it was very special,” he said.

Priests say peace marches are not a tool for transformation

Long Si Dong, a spokesman for the Fort Worth temple, said the monks plan to recognize Vesak day, which celebrates the birth and enlightenment of Buddha, as a national holiday when they arrive in Washington.

“By doing so, we acknowledge Vesak as a day of reflection, compassion and unity for all people, regardless of faith,” he said.

However, Pannakara emphasized that their main goal is to help people achieve peace in their lives. The march is also a separate effort from a $200 million campaign to build towering monuments on the temple’s 14 acres to house the Buddha’s teachings carved in stone, Dong said.

Monks practice and teach Vipassana meditation, an ancient Indian technique taught by the Buddha himself as the basis for achieving enlightenment. It focuses on the mind-body connection by observing breath and physical sensations to understand reality, impermanence, and pain. Some monks, including Pannakara, walk barefoot to feel the ground directly and be in the moment.

Pannakara told the assembled crowd that they did not aim to convert people to Buddhism.

The tradition of peace marches in Theravada Buddhism began in the 1990s, when the Venerable Maha Ghosananda, a Cambodian monk, led marches in war-torn areas riddled with landmines to promote national healing after his country’s civil war and genocide, said Brooke Schedneck, professor of religion at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee.

“These marches really inspire people and inspire faith,” Schedneck said. “The real goal is to have others watch and be inspired, not by words but by how they are willing to make that sacrifice by walking and being visible.”

On Thursday, Becki Gable drove nearly 400 miles (about 640 kilometers) from Cullman, Alabama, to catch up with them in Saluda. Raised Methodist Gable said he wanted some relief from the pain of losing his daughter and her parents.

“I felt in my heart that this would help me find peace,” he said. “Maybe I can move forward a little in my life.”

Gable says he has already taken one of Pannakara’s teachings to heart. He promised himself that every morning, as soon as he woke up, he would take a piece of paper and write five words on it as the monk said.

“Today is my peaceful day.”

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Freelance photojournalist Allison Joyce contributed to this report.

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