MARDAN: The Takht Bhai Buddhist site has been illuminated with cascades of lights, enhancing the grandeur of the Unesco world heritage site and paving the way for its greater global recognition.

`The illumination of Takht Bhai ruins is not only a tribute to the past but a living symbol for the future as well.

This light proclaims that the spirit of history never fades; it simply seeks new colors and new melodies,` provincial culture, archaeology and museums secretary Dr Abdul Samad said in a statement on Thursday.

He said the provincial government had turned a new page in the preservation of its historic and cultural heritage.

`Perched on the rugged hills of Mardan, Takht Bhai, a Unesco World Heritage Site and a silent storyteller for centuries, now shines as a radiant beacon of culture through state-of-theart illumination,` he said.

The secretary said the spectacle appeared as though time itself had lit lamps upon its ancient walls, surrendering history to a new dawn of brilliance. He said the illumination was not mere decoration but a herald of renewal.

`The ancient Buddhist monastic complex now glimmers in the night like a celestial star descended to earth. Each stone and pillar now narrates tales in the language of light-stories of love, peace, and civilization once buried in the rusted pages of time,` he said.

Dr Samad said the project, completed under the KITE Project with the support of the World Bank, forged a golden bond between past and present, ensuring the eternal preservation of this heritage.

He said the glowing transformation of Takht Bhai would not only inspire awe among tourists but also kindle freshavenuesofresearch and reflection for scholars.