Dharmarajika Stupa Pakistan has bones of Buddhist monks

Buddhist Dharmarajika Stupa was founded in the 3^rd century AD by Asoka, the Dharma Raja (Lord of Law).

Then various coins of the Greek King Zoilus II (55 BC) were excavated from the site, indicating official patronage then.

It was expanded by the Greek till the 2^nd Century AD, judging from a Khroshti inscription that eulogizes Kushan Kings. And dates 78 AD

The neglect started from the 3^rd Century under the Kushan and eventually the place was destroyed by the white Huns in the 5^th Century AD.

The destroyer in Chief was MihiraGula the Hun (seems like some Pathan name) who nearly annexed all of India. He was barely stopped deep in Indian Territory.

MihiraGula probably killed and dumped the bodies’ monks of the Dharmarajika Monastery right at the site, and forbade people from making any further donations for expansion.

The place is called ChirTope (slashed top) by locals referring to the tunnel dug by robbers to recover Buddha’s relics.

The Pakistani archeologists found Buddha’s teeth from the site which is still one of the holiest relics of the Mahayana (larger) Buddhist sect, in the world.

Even now Buddhists from China, SriLanka, Thailand, visit Dharmarajika Stupa to pay their respects to the soul of the founding monks of Buddhism

One relic’s robber showed me a foot long tablet with symbols I couldn’t make out along with various gems stones that the devotees wore while performing rituals.

There were incense trees here that are nowhere to be found in this land that filled the air with the most delightful scent possible.

This Stupa had its own monastery, watering hole, residential quarters, dining halls, helpers’ quarters, prayer chapels, guard rooms and artisan area

One Gold coin from a close by archeological site fetched 2 crore rupees in the black market recently. Thanks Dad for forcing me to study engineering — I haven’t seen a fraction of the millions you promised are coming my way.

For more on Taxila, do visit these links, Sirkap and Jaulian Monastery.

Do enjoy the video of Taxilla and its surrounding Buddhist sites.