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NALANDA
Places
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Other
Attraction
Nalanda,
90 kms south of Patna, literally means the place that
confers the lotus. It was one of the oldest universities
of the world. It has nine million books, ten thousand
students, two thousand teaches and was a center of great
learning which reached its zenith between 5th
and 12th Century A.D.
Both Lord Buddha and
Lord Mahavira visited this place. Emperor Ashoka built a
Vihara, while Emperor Harshvardhan donated a 26 mtr.
high copper image of Buddha and Emperor Kumar Gupta
built a college of the fine arts.
In 1951, an
International Centre for Buddhist Studies was
established in Nalanda. Nava Nalanda Vihar, 2 kms from
here, is a similar institution.
Hieun Tsang stayed here in the 7th century AD and left detailed description of the excellence of education system and purity of monastic life practiced here. He also gave a vivid account of both the ambiance and architecture of this unique university of ancient times.
In this first residential international university of the world, 2,000 teachers and 10,000 monks students from all over the Buddhist world lived and studied here. The Gupta kings patronized these monasteries, built in old Kushan architectural style, in a row of cells around a courtyard.
Emperor Ashoka and Harshavardhana were some of its most celebrated patrons who built temples, monasteries and viharas here. Recent excavations have unearthed elaborate structures here. An International Center for Buddhist Studies was established here in 1951.
Nearby is Biharsharif, where an annual urs is celebrated at the Dargah or tomb of Malik Ibrahim Baya. Baragaon, 2 km away has a sun temple, famous for Chhath puja. To be visited are Nalanda museum & Nava Nalanda Mahavihar in addition to the great ruins.
Facts
Altitude: 67 metres
Temperature (Max./Min.) Deg C:
Summer 37.8/17.8 Winter 27.8/10.6
Rainfall:120 cm (June to September)
Best Season:
October to March
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