TAXILA, Aug 1: The remains of the ancient city of Gandhara civilization, Sirsukh, which have also been included in the World Heritage List for their unique archeological value , deserve protection so that the future generations can also marvel at this rich heritage of the country.

When the Kushan invaders decided to abandon the city of Sirkap (the second city of Taxila) and built a new one in its place, they selected a new site known as Sirsukh. The Great Kushans, after succeeding the Parthians, laid the foundation of the third city site in a lush green valley in 80 A.D. about 1.5km north east of Sirkap.

What reasons the Kushans had for abandoning the existing city can only be surmised. But the more potent reason may have been that shortly before the Kushans arrival, the Sirkap city had been hit by a deadly plague which wiped out half of the city's population.

According to the folk legend of "Raja Rasalu and seven demons", Sirsukh was the second brother of Sirkap who ruled this city. Unfortunately, the excavations at Sirsukh conducted during 1915-16 remained limited only to a portion of its fortifications on the eastern side.

The new city, Sirsukh, is slightly rectangular, measuring nearly 1,500 yards along its northern and southern sides and 1,100 along its eastern and western. In the interior of Sirsukh, conditions are less favourable for digging than those in Sirkap, for nearly all the area enclosed within the walls is low-lying and abundantly irrigated, with the result that the ancient remains are buried deep.

Besides, the few mounds, which stand out among the cultivated fields and which are expected to be covering some more remains, are now occupied by the graves of locals and, hence, cannot be excavated.

The city wall is 18-feet thick and externally provided with a heavy rolled plinth to strengthen its foundations. Defence wall is supported by semi-circular bastions with opening from inside. The walled city is measured 4,500 feet east to west and 3,300 feet north to south.

On the south and east sides of the city, the mounds which cover the ruins of the ancient walls still rise clear to view above the surrounding fields, but the northern and western walls have almost disappeared. And, on these two sides, it is now difficult to trace their alignment. The wall, constructed on rubble, was faced with neatly-fitted limestone masonry.

A comparison between Sirsukh and Sirkap fortifications, shows some essential differences. The Sirsukh walls are faced with the heavy diaper masonry which was characteristic of the Parthian and early Kushan periods, compared to the rubble masonry characteristic of the Greek and Saka periods.

The closing years of the 5th century witnessed a ruthless invasion of Gandhara and Taxila by white Huns that brought an end to the Kushans glorious rule and left Taxila in a shambles.

Most of the trade and trade routes were disrupted, and economic prosperity diminished to the lowest ebb. The city and the entire Buddhist religious and educational establishments were deserted, and left to ruins.