Historical India

Encyclopedia of Indian History

Nalanda

Nalanda was an ancient Mahavihara, a revered Buddhist monastery that also served as a renowned centre of learning, in the ancient kingdom of Magadha (modern-day Bihar) in India. It was one of the greatest centres of learning in the world. If we move about 80 km towards southeast from the capital city Patna, Bihar; you will find an almost ruined or destroyed bricks structure spread over 12 hectares. When we go back in the history, here stood the world’s most prominent educational institution which comprised of a huge campus area including multiple colleges, libraries, residential quarters and hostels for students, places of worship and meditation and statues of Buddha. Nalanda was the first attempt at organized transmission of knowledge, an attempt that sustained itself over an uninterrupted 700 years, leaving behind the ruins that tourists and scholars continue to be amazed by it even today. Nalanda was Asia’s biggest and most prestigious university that had students from countries like Japan, China, Korea, Turkey, Tibet, Mongol, Persia, etc. The university used to teach various subjects like Mathematics, Science, Ayurveda, Architecture, Medicine, Religion (especially Buddhism), Vedas, Philosophy, Warfare, History, Literature and many others. Nalanda University provided high-quality education. After completion of the education, the students used to get appointed in the courts of kings, many were even invited by countries like Japan, Korea for translation, consultation work. The libraries of the complex deserve a special mention because Nalanda had the best and biggest libraries. It was a cosmopolitan university with no fee structure. It was funded by Kings. Its destruction was delivered by the afghan military chief ‘Bakhtiyar Khilji’ during his invasion at north India in 13th century. He totally ransacked and destroyed the Nalanda University and set them into fire. Thousands of monks burnt alive and thousands beheaded as Khilji tried his best to uproot Buddhism. Lakhs of books and documents were set into fire in order to ensure the total destruction of university. The burning of libraries continued for several months and smoke from the burning manuscripts hung, like a dark pall over the low hills.
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