Ancient Dharmarajika Stupa in Taxila echoes with Dhamma sermon after 1,500 years

Monks perform rituals in connection with Vesak Day at Dharmarajika Stupa near Taxila. — Dawn TAXILA: After nearly 15 centuries of silence, the ancient Dharmarajika Stupa came alive on Friday as chants of Buddhist monks echoed once again across the historic site, marking the first such occasion since its destruction in the 5th century CE by the White Huns. For centuries, the site had remained largely quiet, disturbed only by the soft tread of visitors and the rustle of leaves in the breeze. On Friday afternoon, however, the centuries-old calm gave way to a spiritually charged atmosphere as monks performed religious rituals and delivered a Dhamma sermon at one of the most significant Buddhist heritage sites associated with Emperor Ashoka. The peace prayer ceremony was organised by the Punjab Archaeology Department in collaboration with Buddhist delegations from five Southeast Asian countries, including Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, Vietnam and Myanmar. The ritual began in the afternoon with venerable monks from Sri Lanka presenting traditional offerings of incense, light, water, flowers, fruit and rice, followed by the delivery of the Dhamma sermon. Each offering carried symbolic meaning. Incense represented purity and moral essence, light signified wisdom, water reflected clarity and purification, flowers symbolised the transient nature of life, fruits represented enlightenment, while rice and other food items embodied sustenance for both body and mind. The ceremony concluded with circumambulation around the main stupa. The event coincided with Vesak Day, the most sacred Buddhist festival, which marks the birth, enlightenment and passing of Gautama Buddha. Observed by Buddhists around the world, the day, also known as Buddha Purnima, commemorates the birth of Buddha in 623 BC, his attainment of enlightenment, and his passing at the age of 80, all believed to have occurred on the same day. According to Buddhist tradition, the year 2026 marks the 2,570th anniversary of B