| Nalanda is a place in central Bihar, India 72 km | | | | the most important Buddhist centers of worship and |
| south-east of the state capital of Patna and is part of | | | | culture. During the days of Mahavira and |
| the Buddhist Circuit that includes Bodhgaya and Rajgir. | | | | Buddha,Nalanda was apparently a very prosperous |
| Nalanda is one of the greatest centers of learning in | | | | temple city, a great place of pilgrimage and the site of |
| the ancient times. It is important to the history of India, | | | | a celebrated university. It is said that King Asoka gave |
| and Buddhism. Nalanda is one of the places | | | | offerings to the Chaitya of Sariputra at Nalanda and |
| distinguished as having been blessed by the presence | | | | erected a temple there. Taranath mentions this and |
| of the Buddha, it later became particularly renowned | | | | also that Nagarjuna, the famous Mahayana philosopher |
| as the site of the great monastic university of the | | | | of the second century A.D., studied at Nalanda. |
| same name, which was to become the crown jewel | | | | Nagarjuna later became the high-priest there. |
| of the development of Buddhism in India. The name | | | | There are several places to see and visit near |
| may derive from one of Shakyamuni's former births, | | | | Nalanda. Rajgir is around 12km from Nalanda and a |
| when he was a king whose capital was here. | | | | famous pilgrimage center for Hindus, Buddhists, and |
| The ancient Buddhist University of Nalanda was | | | | Jains. There are many places of interest here such as |
| founded in the fifth century AD. Nalanda is well known | | | | the Swarna Gufa, Griddhakuta Parvat, and Vishwa |
| as an ancient seat of learning. The place not only has | | | | Shanti Stupa etc. Lauria Areraj is a 11.5 m high |
| the remains of the great university but also many | | | | Ashokan column, erected in 249 BC. The polished |
| monasteries, temples, and viharas built by different | | | | sandstone pillar has six edicts on it. Lauria Nandangarh |
| kings.The university found patrons in Gupta, Kushan, | | | | is the site of the famous Lion pillar, erected by king |
| and Pal kings in successive centuries. Ashoka and | | | | Ashoka. The 8.5 m polished sandstone column also |
| Harshavardhana were some of its most celebrated | | | | has an edict engraved on it. The Nandangarh stupa, |
| patrons who built temples and monasteries here. | | | | nearby, is believed to house the ashes of the Buddha. |
| Recent excavations have unearthed elaborate | | | | The events and festivals of Nalanda attract tourists |
| structures here. The university remained in prominence | | | | from far and away. Unique in Nalanda is the Chhath |
| till 12 century AD when the Afghans attacked Bengal | | | | Puja, or worship of the Sun god. The most famous |
| and burnt down this great University. | | | | one is at the Sun temple in Baragaon near Nalanda, |
| A large number of ancient Buddhist establishments, | | | | where new paddy, sweets, and fruits are offered in |
| stupas, chaityas, temples and monastery sites have | | | | worship. |
| been excavated and they show that this was one of | | | | |