Prime Minister Narendra Modi heralded the inauguration of Nalanda College’s new campus in Rajgir, Bihar on Wednesday, accompanied by Exterior Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and dignitaries from seventeen nations.
The historic Nalanda Mahavihara, a beacon of historic scholarship established in 427 AD, resided within the erstwhile Magadha kingdom, presently Bihar. Esteemed as a premier tutorial hub of antiquity, Nalanda thrived close to Rajagriha (now Rajgir), proximal to Pataliputra (now Patna), flourishing beneath the aegis of the Gupta Empire roughly 1600 years in the past.
First Residential Academia: The zenith of Nalanda College’s acclaim was throughout the Pala dynasty’s sovereignty within the eighth and ninth centuries CE, marking its ascendancy on the worldwide stage. Housing over 10,000 disciples and a pair of,000 educators at its pinnacle, Nalanda garnered international reputation, drawing intellects from India, China, Tibet, Persia, and past. It considerably contributed to the evolution of Buddhism and Indian philosophy, alongside logic, grammar, arithmetic, astronomy, and medication. Predating the College of Oxford and Bologna by over 5 centuries, this monastic establishment set a formidable precedent.
The Dalai Lama as soon as remarked: “The wellspring of all our [Buddhist] erudition originates from Nalanda.” Famend because the world’s second-oldest college following Takshashila, it functioned as a residential campus for 800 years, boasting over 300 chambers, seven expansive halls, and a nine-storied library, Dharmagunj.
Medieval Ivy League: Admission to Nalanda was as arduous as entry into trendy elite establishments like IIT, IIM, or Ivy League colleges. Candidates underwent rigorous vetting, and profitable aspirants obtained mentorship from a cadre of students, together with esteemed Buddhist sages like Dharmapala and Silabhadra.
Various Scholarly Pursuits: Nalanda’s curriculum spanned theology, grammar, logic, astronomy, metaphysics, medication, and philosophy, with a selected emphasis on Buddhist research. It was a nexus for international students, imparting information from venerable Ayurvedic traditions and Buddhist ideas.
Mathematical Legacy: Aryabhata, the illustrious mathematician and astronomer, is believed to have each studied and taught at Nalanda, laying the groundwork for pivotal mathematical ideas that endure right now.
Worldwide Magnetism: Nalanda drew college students from throughout Asia, together with China, Korea, Japan, Tibet, Mongolia, and Central Asia. Outstanding students such because the Chinese language pilgrim Xuanzang and the Korean pilgrim Hyecho studied there. Xuanzang devoted practically 15 years to the college. Ayurveda, India’s nature-based therapeutic custom, proliferated from Nalanda’s teachings to different components of India via its alumni. The architectural blueprint of Nalanda’s open courtyards surrounded by prayer halls and lecture rooms impressed different Buddhist establishments. Moreover, the stucco artwork created there influenced spiritual artwork in Thailand, and metalwork traditions migrated to Tibet and the Malayan peninsula.
Library of 9 Million Manuscripts: The Dharma Gunj library was one of many historic world’s most intensive repositories, containing lots of of hundreds of manuscripts.
Architectural Splendor: Spanning 14 hectares, Nalanda College encompassed stupas, temples, and monasteries constructed from pink bricks, showcasing superior architectural and inventive prowess.
In depth Gardens and Parks: The college boasted picturesque gardens, lakes, and parks, fostering a tranquil ambiance conducive to studying and meditation.
Destruction and Resurrection: Nalanda thrived for 800 years till its destruction by Bakhtiyar Khilji’s military within the twelfth century CE. The catastrophic conflagration, ignited by Khilji, a Turko-Afghan army chief, endured for 3 months, obliterating an unlimited trove of Buddhist knowledge. Rediscovered in 1812 by Scottish surveyor Francis Buchanan-Hamilton, the traditional college’s identification was later confirmed in 1861 by Sir Alexander Cunningham.
Earlier Assaults on Nalanda: The Huns, beneath Mihirkula within the fifth century, and the Gauda king of Bengal within the eighth century, inflicted prior injury on Nalanda. Nevertheless, it was rebuilt and expanded with imperial patronage. By Khilji’s invasion, Buddhism was waning in India, exacerbated by the decline of the Buddhist Pala dynasty, marking the ultimate blow.
Surviving Manuscripts: Some manuscripts that survived are preserved within the Los Angeles County Museum of Artwork and the Yarlung Museum in Tibet.
The 9 million handwritten, palm-leaf manuscripts of Nalanda’s library, described by Tibetan scholar Taranatha as a nine-story construction “hovering into the clouds,” have been largely destroyed. A number of salvaged volumes, rescued by fleeing monks, now reside on the Los Angeles County Museum of Artwork and the Yarlung Museum in Tibet.
Notable Students and Educators: Nalanda College attracted over 10,000 college students from Japanese and Central Asia. Students from throughout the globe, together with China, Korea, Japan, Tibet, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia, frequented the college. Aryabhata, the progenitor of arithmetic who launched the idea of zero, is believed to have taught there. Different distinguished educators included Dharmapala and Silabhadra.