Today, only the memories of those glorious days are refreshed
in the ruins. Whatever remains of the great university,
has been well preserved. Among the ruins, one still recognizes
the different sections of the place. Particularly the place
of worship and the hostels are very distinct. Beautiful
lawns surround the whole area.
According to literary tradition, Nalanda, 10 kms north
of Rajgir and a suburb of the ancient city, was visited
by Buddha and Mahavira. Ashoka is said to have worshipped
at the chaitya of Sariputra, Buddha’s disciple, and
erected a temple. But the excavations, which were conducted
here from 1916 onwards, have not revealed any pre-Gupta
remains. By the time of Harsha (A.D. 606-48), Nalanda had
become the principal centre of Mahayana learning and a famed
university-town with numerous shrines and monasteries, which
attracted scholars from far and near. The Chinese pilgrims,
Hiuen Tsang and I- Tsing studied at Nalanda and have left
accounts of the settlement and its life.
The Excavations Speak
The elaborate excavations at the site have revealed nine
levels of occupation, dating back to the time of Lord Buddha
and Lord Mahavira, in the 6th century. The ruins provide
staggering evidence of the strength of Buddhist civilization,
in its prime. The remains of the stupas, temples and eleven
monasteries, most aligned north to south, with their thick
walls impressively intact, are strewn all over the place.
Nalanda had a planned layout with an almost symmetrical
row of monasteries facing a row of temples, with wide spaces
in between. The temples were solid rectangular structures
of two tiers, the sanctum being placed on the upper tier,
which was approached by a grand flight of steps. The facades
of both the tiers were plastered and embellished with elegant
pilasters and niches containing images.
Temple 3 was more than 31 m high and consisted of seven
successive accummulations of which the latest two belonged
to the 11th and 12th centuries and the fifth one dating
from circa 6th century, was notable for its sculptural wealth.
The monasteries were imposing rectangular buildings, each
with an open courtyard, enclosed by a covered verandah,
which leads into cells, arrayed on the four sides. The cell
facing the entrance served as a shrine.
Nalanda was an important centre of Pala sculptures and
bronzes and has yielded seals and sealings of great historical
significance.
The Education
In this first residential international university of
the world, 2,000 teachers and 10,000 students from all over
the Buddhist world lived and studied. Courses taught at
the University included the study of the Mahayana and Hinayana
Schools of Buddhism, Brahmanical and Vedic texts, philosophy,
logic, theology, Grammar, astronomy, mathematics and medicine.
Education was provided free, as the University was supported
by the revenue from surrounding villages, and by the benefactors
such as the 8th century king of Sumatra.
