dharmarajika-stupa

Dharmarajika Stupa

This stupa is the greatest one and is related to the Buddhism culture. It dated back to the 2nd century C.E. and was built by the Kushans to store small bone fragments of The Buddha that were initially buried at the site during 78 C.E. Over time, a large monastic complex was developed around the place. It forms the ruins of Taxila, which were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980.
The Tamra Rivulet plays an important part in the construction of the early monasteries and stupas, as they are all placed near river water or sweet water springs; it is located south of the hathial spur on an eastern route along the tamra rivulet; being Taxila’s most ancient urban settlements. The complex of Dharmaraijka can be divided into two sections: the stupa area consisting of the great stupa and several constructions belonging to different time periods, and the monastic area with monasteries from different time periods.

Destruction

The site was destroyed and abandoned by the White Huns in the fifth century CE. Subsequent rulers persecuted the region's Buddhists, including the Hun king Mihirakula. Over a thousand Buddhist monasteries in Gandhara are said to have been destroyed during his reign. Not only did the White Huns destroy Taxilan sites, but they also devastated nearby Peshawar.

Excavation

Sir John Marshall carried out the stupa's excavation in 1913. Before Marshall's discovery, the stupa had suffered severe damage from previous thefts and was in poor condition. Marshall noted that to steal the stupa's priceless artefacts in the past, a sizable trench required a great deal of work to be built. By 1934, enough of the site had been uncovered to allow for an understanding of its scope. Human skeletons were found in the open space south of the stupa, and they may be the remains of monks who perished during the White Hun invasion.

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