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 S...