Rajgir-Bodhgaya via Nalanda.
Nalanda, a part of the Budhist circuit, is famous for the the ancient International Monastic University. Established in 5th century BC by the Gupta Emperors, it was a famous learning centres in ancient times. The university had centers for studies in Buddhism, Vedas, Logic, Grammar, Medicine, Meta-Physics, Prose Composition and Rhetoric. Lord Buddha and Lord Mahavira have also taught here. The university library had a mammoth collection of 9 million volumes. The university remains are scattered around an area of 14 hectares. Though a large part of the university has been explored, a huge portion remains unexcavated. It is believed that the university could accommodate 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers easily. Hsuan Tsang, the renowned Chinese traveler was also involved with the university for 12 years. |
