Nalanda University (Nalanda Mahavihara), located in Bihar, India, has recently been in the news for all the right reasons. The university is fully operational now and open for admissions after a gap of nearly 800 years!
The idea to resurrect Nalanda University was endorsed in 2007 at the East Asia Summit, represented mostly by Asian countries. The revival plans of Nalanda University began in 2010 when the Government of India passed a resolution (Nalanda University Act 2010) to revive the university and listed it as “Institute of National Importance”.
Founded in the 5th century, this ancient university was abandoned in the 13th century (1197 CE) after being sacked and destroyed by Muhammad Bin Bakhtiyar Khalji in 1200 CE. Interestingly, Nalanda was destroyed three times but was rebuilt only twice. In 2016, UNESCO declared Nalanda University a World Heritage site which included several stupas, shrines, viharas and artworks in stucco, stone and metal.
Nalanda University is considered the first residential university in the world. The university is among the greatest learning centres in the ancient world. Before the destruction, the university was an intellectual hotspot providing multiple discourses where scholars came from several countries such as China, Korea, Japan, Tibet, Mongolia, Turkey, Sri Lanka and South-East Asia. The residential campus accommodated 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers.
Traditional sources state the university was visited by both Vardhamana Mahavira and Gautama Buddha in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE. The university occupies an important place in the historical development of Buddhism into a religion and the flourishing of monastic and educational traditions.
The new Nalanda University’s first academic session began in September 2014 with 15 students. The new Nalanda University spread over 450 acres in its New Campus in Rajgir, Bihar was gifted by the State Government of Bihar in 2011. The campus is complete with state-of-the-art technologies planned as the ancient Nalanda University. The entire campus is carbon neutral and a zero-waste zone (a net-zero sustainable campus) with a perfect blend of tradition and modernity.
The foundational philosophy of the university is to recover lost connections and partnerships that existed in Asia.
“The rediscovery of inter-Asian linkages in recent times has led to a resurgence in discovering and building upon a shared history. Nalanda University is envisaged as an icon of this new Asian renaissance: a creative space that will be for future generations a centre of Inter civilizational dialogue.”
The university has five schools namely, School of Buddhist Studies, Philosophy, and Comparative, School of Ecology and Environment Studies, School of Historical Studies, School of Languages and Literature/ Humanities and School of Management Studies. The university offers Masters, PhD programs, Diploma and certificate courses in Buddhism, Sanātana Hindu Studies, languages etc.
The Vision statement of the University says: “It (Nalanda University) must be adapted to the rhythm of Nature where it is located and enrich the lives of the people in the neighbourhood”.
Take a look at the stunning 455 acres campus in Rajgir Hills:
(Picture Source Nalanda University Facebook page)
The iconic university is accepting new admissions on their website!
Would you like to be a part of this historic university?
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