Nalanda - 10 things to know with detail
- 1. Nalanda was an ancient center of higher learning in India, located in present-day Bihar.
- 2. The university was founded in the 5th century AD during the Gupta Empire and continued to flourish for several centuries.
- 3. Nalanda was a renowned Buddhist monastery and center of learning, attracting scholars and students from all over Asia.
- 4. The university had a vast library that housed thousands of manuscripts on various subjects including philosophy, religion, science, and literature.
- 5. Nalanda was a residential university with dormitories for students and teachers, as well as lecture halls, meditation halls, and other facilities.
- 6. The curriculum at Nalanda included a wide range of subjects such as Buddhist studies, logic, grammar, medicine, mathematics, and astronomy.
- 7. The university had a rigorous admission process and students were required to pass entrance exams to gain admission.
- 8. Nalanda was a major center for the spread of Buddhism and played a key role in the development of Buddhist philosophy and scholarship.
- 9. The university was destroyed by invaders in the 12th century, leading to the decline of Buddhism in India.
- 10. In recent years, efforts have been made to revive Nalanda as a modern center of learning and research, with the establishment of the Nalanda University in the same location.