Known for its Buddhist sites and monuments, Nalanda, in Bihar, was once a centre for learning.
It flourished during the regime of several rulers like Sakraditya, the Gupta kings, Buddhist emperors like Harsha and the Pala Empire emperors, Nalanda shot to prominence between the 5th and the 12th century.
Nalanda University was able to combine multiple discourses, and to embrace knowledge in its entirety to become uniquely attractive for all seekers of pure knowledge. Nalanda was a completely residential university.
At its peak, the school attracted scholars and students from near and far, with some travelling all the way from Tibet, China, Korea, and Central Asia.
A famed centre of learning in the ancient era, only ruins of the university remain today. Much of what is known is through the writings of Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese traveller who gave brief descriptions about the architecture of the university.
Near the university ruins, there are several monasteries, and temples which were built by the Gupta Kings, Ashoka, and Harshavardhana. The Nalanda Archaeological Museum and the Nalanda Multimedia Museum are the other attractions in Nalanda.
Picture credit: google
