Nalanda University

Source- This post on Nalanda University has been created based on the article “PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Nalanda University in Bihar today” published in “Hindustan Times” on 19 June 2024.

Why in the news?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the new Nalanda University campus near the ancient university ruins in Rajgir.

About Nalanda University

1. Nalanda is recognized as the most ancient university on the Indian subcontinent.

2. It was established by Kumar Gupta of the Gupta dynasty in Bihar during the early 5th century. The university thrived for 600 years until the 12th century.

3. It reached its zenith during the reign of Harshavardhan and the Pala monarchs. It served as a hub for learning, culture, and intellectual exchange, significantly influencing Indian civilization and beyond.

4. It was primarily a place where monks and nuns lived and studied. It focused on teaching major philosophies of Buddhism.

5. It attracted students from regions including China, Korea, Japan, Tibet, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia. Students followed a strict code of conduct and participated in daily meditation and study sessions.

6. It offered courses in medicine, Ayurveda, religion, Buddhism, mathematics, grammar, astronomy, and Indian philosophy.

7. The university was destroyed in 1193 by Bakhtiyar Khilji, a general of the Turkish ruler Qutbuddin Aibak.

8. It rediscovered in 1812 by Scottish surveyor Francis Buchanan-Hamilton and later identified as the ancient university by Sir Alexander Cunningham in 1861.

9. The Chinese monk Xuan Zang provided invaluable insights into Nalanda’s academic and architectural grandeur. Nalanda is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

UPSC Syllabus: Art and culture