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Nalanda’s revival heralds a new era for education

ANCIENT GLORY: The glory of Nalanda is staging a comeback, considering the keen interest evinced by South East Asian nations in the revival of this ancient seat of learning. If the dream of rebuilding the oldest Indian university is realised, it will be the biggest triumph of Asia.

The Nalanda (giver of knowledge) was the world’s largest residential university between the 5th and 12th centuries A D. It attracted students and scholars from China, Japan, Tibet, Indonesia, Persia et al.

It had been housing about 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers. Nalanda ‘died a slow death’ about the time some famous European universities, like Oxford, had just started making their existence felt.

Since my boyhood, I had a cherished desire to see Nalanda. Four years ago, I made a vain bid to reach the rendezvous as the 65-km-long road from Gaya to Nalanda was in a bad shape.

But this time, in February, I made it to Nalanda, along with my wife. Last time, the bus I had boarded, halted at


The glory: If the dream of rebuilding the oldest Indian university is realised, it will be the biggest triumph of Asia.

 several places for one reason or the other. The vehicle had virtually to crawl on stones.

One of its tires got burst, forcing me to cut short my journey at Rajgir, a famous pilgrim centre, just 12 km short of Nalanda. But this time it took us less than three hours to reach Nalanda from Gaya, indicating that conditions are improving.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, heading the BJP-Janata Dal (U) coalition, has promised his people ‘good quality’ roads.

The revival of the Nalanda University received an impetus when outgoing President A P J Abdul Kalam addressed a special session of the Bihar assembly last year.

He felt a new Nalanda could have a great impact on the state’s economy. Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has also advocated the revival of what he says ‘Nalanda tradition’.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh warmly welcomed the suggestion and discussed the idea in his recent meetings with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

When I walked through the ruins, keeping pace with my guide Anil Kumar, I was literally transported into an era which saw India leading in imparting knowledge to the world. The courses of study included Buddhism, Vedas, Hetu Vidya (logic), Shabda Vidya (grammar) and Chikitsa Vidya (medicine). The university had received royal patronage from Emperor Harshavardhana of Kannauj and the Pali kings.

As we meandered through the ruins on February 12, 2007, the guide narrated the history of Nalanda from King Kumar Gupta, who had laid foundations of the university in the 5th century AD, to its destruction.

The university was further extended by Harshavardhana in the 7th century AD. After 200 years, it was rebuilt by king Devapala of the Pala dynasty. But it was painful to know that Nalanda University, which originally covered an area of 50 square km, was set on fire by Mohammad Bakhtiar Khilji of Afghanistan.

The fire kept on raging for six months, destroying its three marvellous libraries—-Ratnasagar, Ratnadiadni and Ratnarangika. An earthquake later brought down the residual structures in the 13th century AD. Now there is a railway station in Bakhtiar’s name on the Nalanda-Patna rail line.

The fanatic invaders were against Buddhism, monasteries and monks, the guide told me. Several monks were killed and many more were forced to flee to other parts of India and abroad. Most of them found refuge in Tibet. Much of the tradition of Nalanda was carried to Tibet, by the time of the Muslim invasion of the 12th century.

According to Pali scriptures, Nalanda was a mango grove. The Buddha often used to stop at a place called Pavarika, which used to be quite prosperous and teeming with people.

Nalanda was the birth place of Sariputta and Maha-Moggallana, two chief disciples of the Buddha. Sariputta died in the room in which he was born. The room later began to be regarded as the most sacred spot. It was converted into a shrine.

Emperor Ashoka gave an offering to the ‘Chaitya’ (temple) of Sariputta. In fact, Ashoka is regarded as the founder of Nalanda Vihara.

He built a stupa there in the third century BC. Nalanda was known throughout the ancient world for its learned and renowned teachers like Acharya Nagarjuna, Silabadra, Arya Deva, Santarakshita and Dingandga.

My guide told me that Alexander Cunnigham, an expert Archaeologist, had ‘discovered’ Nalanda University site in 1861.The ruins were excavated first in 1915; the work went on till 1937, when it was given up for reasons unclear now.

The total area of the excavated site is about 14 hectares. Careful excavation by ASI has identified many stupas, monasteries, hostels, temples, meditation halls, lecture rooms and structures which speak of the grandeur of Nalanda, All the edifices are of red bricks.

The university was constructed in the Kushana style of architecture, but the impact of the Pala dynasty was widely visible. The excavations suggest that a large part of the university has so far remained undiscovered.

The buildings are divided by a central walkway that goes south to north. The monasteries are to the east of the central alley and the temples or Chaityas to the west.

The thickness of the walls of monasteries and residential buildings ranged from three feet to a maximum of 12 feet, providing a cooling effect as that of modern day AC’s. Out of 108 monasteries, only 11 have been excavated so far. The ‘recovered’ treasure has been preserved in the Nalanda Archaeological Museum near the ruins.

The guide led us to the museum where we could see valuable objects and images of Buddhist and Hindu gods and goddesses. There is a unique multiple spouted vessel of clay. It was used during those days at the time of worship. Snakes would streak into the vessel to consume milk.

The museum, established in 1971, is a treasure trove of rare ancient manuscripts, copper plates, ceiling plaques, coins, carved bricks, pottery and small heaps of burnt rice besides Buddhist statues.

Famed fifth century Chinese traveller Hieun Tsang had stayed in Nalanda, first as a student and then as a teacher, for 17 years. He was given the title of “Master of the Law” (Dharma Charya), “God of Mahayana” (Mahayanadeva) and “Preceptor of Salvation” (Mokshacharya). According to Hieun Tsang, Nalanda formed an important zone of activity for the Buddha.

There was a rigorous oral examination of students, conducted first by erudite gatekeepers. Many students were turned away having failed the preliminary test. To study at Nalanda was a matter of pride. However, no degrees were granted. Neither there was any requirement for a specific period of study.

Two Chinese Buddhist monks, Mingxian and Huikuan visited Nalanda early this year after a four-month long journey on foot from China’s Shanxi province, tracing the route undertaken by Hieun Tsang 1,300 years ago. A memorial has been built in Hieun Tsang’s honour near the ruins. The Hall was in fact inaugurated when I was there.

Now an international residential university is planned near Nalanda over an area of about 21 square km. It will start functioning in two years.

-Syndicate Features

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