Situated in the Indian state of Bihar, Nalanda University is an ancient institution of learning that serves as a symbol of India's rich cultural and intellectual legacy. One of the first residential institutions in history, Nalanda was founded in the fifth century CE and drew students from all around Asia. Nalanda University has been resurrected in the twenty-first century, carrying on its tradition as a lighthouse of knowledge after being dormant for millennia.
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65.1) Birth of Nalanda Mahavihar
Nalanda, which was founded in the fifth century and thrived for more than 700 years, was a hub for intellectual and cultural interaction in addition to being a center of study.
The origins of Nalanda can be found during the Gupta Empire, which is sometimes referred to as the Golden Age of India. Under the auspices of Kumaragupta I (450 AD), Nalanda was founded during this time. But, at least 600 years before to Kumaragupta's rule, the location of the mahavihar was once an Ashokan stupa site.
The word "Nalam" (lotus) and "da" (to give) were combined to create the university's name, which represents the flowering of knowledge. On the other hand, Chinese explorer Hiuen Tsang, who visited Nalanda in the 7th century when visiting India under King Harsha Vardhan, claimed that the name came from a Naga (snake) that resided in a nearby pond.
Nalanda set itself apart from other modern learning institutions with an extensive curriculum covering a wide range of subjects.
The Mahavihar was a center for Buddhist teachings, but it also taught logic, grammar, medicine, astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy. Scholars from all across Asia, including China, Korea, Japan, Tibet, Mongolia, Turkey, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia, were drawn to Nalanda because of its multidisciplinary approach, which resulted in a melting pot of intellectual and cultural diversity.
65.2) Infrastructure and facilities of Nalanda Mahavihar
The campus of Nalanda was a feat of architecture in its day. The knowledge center's enormous library are its most noticeable feature. It is constructed of red bricks, votive stupas, temples, and monasteries (viharas). Thousands of resident scholars and monks lived and studied in the complex, which was built to promote both spiritual and intellectual development.
The term "Dharmaganja" referred to the collection of university libraries. Ratnasagara (Ocean of Jewels), Ratnodadhi (Sea of Jewels), and Ratnaranjaka (Jewel-adorned) were their three principal structures. The huge collections of manuscripts, texts, and palm-leaf scriptures kept in these repositories were brought in by the students and monks from many locations; some of the rare and valuable materials were among them.
The teaching of Nalanda was similarly impressive. The university used a strict system of seminars, debates, and written and oral exams.Teachers were eminent academics, many of whom wrote important books in their domains. The globe was given 'zero' by the brilliant mathematician and astronomer Aryabhata, who was one of the most influential professors.
65.3) Decline and Destruction
Despite its splendor, a string of invasions that ravaged the Indian subcontinent ultimately sealed Nalanda's doom.
The institution was destroyed by Turkish military leader Bakhtiyar Khilji under the Mamluk Dynasty in the 12th century, dealing the first serious blow. The 19th-century historian Minhaju-s Siraj claims that Khilji, leading his army in 1193 CE, targeted Nalanda as part of his plan to capture northern India.
People from the area commonly talk about how Khilji's soldiers destroyed centuries' worth of information by setting fire to the large libraries. The enormous manuscript collections are claimed to have fed the flames over the several months that the burning took place. Scholars and monks were also slaughtered.
However, because of the scarcity and ambiguity of the archeological and literary evidence, historians disagree on when the Nalanda Mahavihar ended.
By the eleventh century, the Buddhism practiced at NaIanda had been tantricized due to the demise of Hinayan and Mahayana Buddhism. It was no longer as shiny as it once was.
"Hiuen Tsang's story makes it clear that Buddhism was gradually eroding when he traveled to India. Significant early Buddhist centers had fallen into disuse, but other centers had emerged as well, including Nalanda in the east, Valabhi in the west, and Kanchi in the south, according to A. Ghosh's 1985 book "Nalanda."
The political climate and subsequent invasions made sure Nalanda never rose to its previous level of importance. Even the locals were unaware of it until Sir John Marshall and Sir Alexander Cunningham excavated the site in the 19th century.
65.4) Revival in 21st Century
In March 2006, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the former President of India, suggested bringing the historic Nalanda back to life during a joint session of the Bihar State Legislative Assembly. Converging ideas on the restoration of ancient Nalanda emerged concurrently from the government of Singapore, the leaders of sixteen East Asia Summit (EAS) member states in January 2007 in the Philippines, and the fourth EA Summit in October 2009 in Thailand. The Nalanda University Act, 2010 was passed by the Indian Parliament, and the school's first class of students entered in September of 2014. Under the direction of Chief Minister Shri Nitish Kumar, the State Government of Bihar moved quickly to set aside 455 acres of land for the university campus at a prominent location. This signified the founding of Nalanda University, and from 2017 to 2023, the new campus's infrastructure was built. The environmentally friendly architecture was created by renowned architect Padam-Vibhushan late Ar. B.V. Doshi, who integrated all contemporary amenities that met international standards with the traditional Vaastu of Nalanda. Stretching across acres of lush greenery and 100 acres of water bodies, this expansive carbon-free Net-zero campus is a true haven for education.
Nalanda is simultaneously futuristic and grounded in reality, as the principles and practices of this ancient center of learning have shown to be globally applicable and a workable means of ensuring a sustainable future that benefits everyone, not just those in Asia. It makes sense that the idea of bringing Nalanda University again has received widespread support and enthusiasm from people all around the world.
17 nations, other than India, contributed to the university's establishment: Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Mauritius, Myanmar, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. The inauguration ceremony on Wednesday, 19th June 2024, was attended by ambassadors from these nations.
After 900 years, in 2014, Nalanda University opened admission to the School of Ecology and Environmental Studies and the School of Historical Studies to a total of fifteen students. The Rajgir Convention Center served as the classroom, and the Bihar government-run Hotel Tathagat served as the students' temporary housing. There were six teachers on the faculty. The University's first Chancellor was Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen, who has been involved with the project since 2007. The first Visitor was former President Pranab Mukherjee.
The School of Buddhist Studies, Philosophy and Comparative Religion, Languages and Literature, Management Studies, and International Relations and Peace Studies are the four new schools that have opened since 2014. Currently, the institution provides PhD programs, two-year Master's courses, and a few certificate and diploma programs.
The new Nalanda University campus, spanning more than 450 acres in Rajgir, Bihar, was officially opened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A 'Net Zero' Green Campus that prioritizes environmental preservation makes it possible. Approximately 1900 students can study in 40 classrooms spread throughout two academic blocks on the site, and there are two auditoriums, each holding 300 seats, for spectators.
In addition, Nalanda University offers a sports complex, a facilities club, an international center, an amphitheater that can hold 2000 people, and hostels that can house about 550 students. The new campus represents the symbolic rebirth of an ancient center of learning and is significant due to its cutting-edge infrastructure.
65.5) Conclusion
Historian Pintu Kumar stated, "The establishment of Sri Nālandā Mahāvihāra and its new organized instructive practices marked the beginning of a new era in South Asian education," in a significant study of ancient Nalanda University. It represented the pinnacle of the traditional Indian educational system. In South Asia, institutionalized education began with the conversion of mahāvihāras into learning and training institutes, which distinguished them from gurukulas.
"Nalanda is an identity and a source of respect, not merely a name. At the opening of Nalanda University's new campus on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked, "Nalanda is a value and mantra...fire can burn books, but it can't destroy knowledge."
"Learning is being here," proclaims the revitalized Nalanda University, which is located next to the Rajgir hills. Being in this intellectual environment, where living and learning coexist together with nature, is a powerful experience. The area is charged with positivity from spiritual masters such as Lord Buddha and Lord Mahavira, who meditated here, as well as from the academic traditions established by great teachers like Nagarjuna, Aryabhatta, and Dharmakirti, who gave lectures at the historic Nalanda. An intellectual ferment uncommon in human history was present in ancient Magadha. What made studying at Nalanda academically distinctive and alluring to searchers was the chance to understand other discourses and embrace knowledge in its whole.
Nalanda University is a living example of the enduring value of information and education thanks to its extensive historical past and modern rebirth. Its historic ruins serve as a reminder of a great past, and the institution that stands there today represents the desire to grow and reclaim that history in a global setting. Nalanda is still an inspiration to academics and students around the globe as a representation of cross-cultural communication and intellectual inquiry.
— Team Yuva Aaveg
(Adarsh Tiwari)
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