The stormy revival of an international university by. The mine of learning, honoured nalanda that is how the 16th17th century tibetan historian, taranath, referred to the university at nalanda. His writings are the source of information about the university. The very utterance of this name will transport you to indias ancient terrain of knowledge. May 29, 20 media caption nalanda is emerging from the ruins as an image of indias rising power. The library was completely destroyed during the siege of sarajevo. Assumptions on nalanda questioned the sunday guardian live.
Much of warsaw, poland was destroyed during world war ii by the nazis. Apr 27, 2016 another example from india was the destruction of nalanda university in 1197 ad and vikramashila university in 1203 ad by muhammad ghori. How history was made up at nalanda arun shourie voice. Nalanda university ruins is a archaeological site where every year millions of tourists across the world visit to get a glimpse of how one of the worlds oldest university and learning center had led the foundation of imparting cultural and educational values in. The burning of libraries in one moment, a mob of barbarians can destroy a countrys history, can erase the work of lifetimes of scholars, can inflict a wound on humanity that it will still be suffering 1,000 years later long after the religion and philosophy and cause of the barbarians is forgotten. Nalanda was ransacked and destroyed by turkish muslim invaders under bakhtiyar khilji, a turkish chieftain, in 1193 ad. It was a significant event during the end of buddhism and the beginning of muslim rule in india.
Muslims and burning of books and the burning and destruction. The accolades of our rich historical educational system have resounded from generations but when the history buried in oblivion was excavated, the present age was just left wooed by the ancient cognition. As the most resplendent university of its time or any time, really, nalanda university launched in a. Can we find anywhere, the list of books that were in the library of nalanda. According to a later tibetan source, nagarjuna the 2nd3rdcentury ce buddhist philosopher began his studies there. It remained as best university for a long time until bakhtiyar khilji destroyed it. Madam vicechancellor receiving vishwa kavi rabindranath tagore memorial award on 7th february 2020 from the honble governor, kolkata. We hope you enjoy this virtual visit, and stay in touch with our regular updates.
Innumerous number of ancient indian manuscripts carefully preserved for thousands of years were destroyed in this fire. A secret story about nalanda university shivam mishra. External affairs minister, sushma swaraj along with bihars chief minister, jitan ram manjhi, formally inaugurated the new nalanda university on 19 september. Feb 10, 2009 university of nalanda was established in 450 ce under the patronage of the gupta emperors, notably kumara gupta. The ancient indian university which is taking students again after. Extensive excavations indicate that the monasteries were built during the gupta period 5th century ce. Protestors perform public book burning in india comic. Later, nalanda open university act, 1995 was passed by the bihar legislature, replacing.
Nalanda university nu offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees in several areas of. There is wild speculation about the actual culprits responsible for burning down the magnificent nalanda mahavihara, one of the largest seats of buddhist learning in ancient india. Egypt, iraq, jordan and algeria itself, after independence introduced stamps depicting either. The university began its first academic session on september 1, 2014 with 15 students including five women. Sep 02, 2014 the university came into existence by the nalanda university act passed by parliament. University of nalanda was established in 450 ce under the patronage of the gupta emperors, notably kumara gupta. The ancient nalanda monastery was located 55 miles southeast of the city of patna, the capital of bihar.
The beggars being angry, set fire on the three shrines of dharma ganja, the buddhist university of nalanda that is, ratna sagara, ratna ranjaka including the ninestorey building called ratnadadhi which contained the library of sacred books pg 92. Media caption nalanda is emerging from the ruins as an image of indias rising power. By the time the first european university was established in bologna in 1088, nalanda had been providing higher education to thousands of students from asian countries for more than six hundred years. Book burning, biblioclasm or libricide is the practice of destroying, often ceremoniously, books or other written material and media. The admission form annexurea and prospectus may be obtained through demand draft of rs. Nalanda university was established during the gupta dynasty.
The great library of nalanda university was so vast that it is reported to have housed more than 9 million books which burned for three months after the invaders set fire to it. Egypt, iraq, jordan and algeria itself, after independence introduced stamps depicting either the burning of a book, or of the library itself. Jul, 2016 the great library of nalanda university was destroyed, ransacked and burnt by the soldiers of khiljis army and it is said that it was so vast that the manuscripts kept burning for three months. Another example from india was the destruction of nalanda university in 1197 ad and vikramashila university in 1203 ad by muhammad ghori. Nalanda university ruins nalanda travel guide ancient. For 600 years, nalanda was one of the best universities in the world. The great library of nalanda university was so vast that it is reported to have burned for three months after the mughals set fire to it, sacked and destroyed the monasteries, and drove the monks from the site. Bakhtiar khilji, considered responsible for the destruction of the nalanda university, had attacked it in 1190. Nalanda is an ancient high education center in the state of bihar, india. Libraries have been deliberately or accidentally destroyed or badly damaged.
The practice, usually carried out in public, is generally motivated by moral, religious, or political objections to. Nalandas traditional history dates to the time of the buddha 6th5th centuries bce and mahavira, the founder of the jaina religion. The idea to resurrect nalanda university was endorsed in 2007 at the east. Some of the surviving nalanda books were taken by fleeing monks to tibet.
The usual rumour that is circulated maliciously is, five brahmin youths burnt it down. It was an eminent centre of learning long before oxford, cambridge and. There is no recovery possible if a book is burnt so it is accepted that a better solution is to put out. How history was made up at nalanda the indian express. The first chinese emperor qin shi huang chin qin shi huang ordered the burning of all books in china in 2 bc except those dealing with agriculture, medicine and fortune telling this evil was to be repeated in maos ignorant cultural revolution in the 20th century, when again much of poor battered chinas heritage was lost.
Nalanda university was a standalone international university. National archives of bosnia and herzegovina partially sarajevo, bosnia and herzegovina 20140207 seven bosnian rioters suspected of having started the fire. As we embrace 2020, let us continue to strive and grow together, and make the world a. It is fully automated with koha ilm software and also has locker facilities for the students. For most people in the world, nalanda today is an obscure entity.
Nalanda buddhist society holistic education for integral. At the time itsing was at the university, there were. These instances that book burning event was used as a tool to destroy the existing social and political condition. The core academic area of nalanda university occupied 30 acres as indeed is a requirement even of modern universities aiming at excellence, as discussed in the authors book how to create excellent universities but the extended campus was much larger and encompassed neighboring villages, as it needs to be to house peripheral and. Nov 29, 2014 nalanda university, which was set up at rajgir in bihar in 4 ad during the gupta dynasty, had emerged as a world seat of learning before it was destroyed sometime in the 11th century. The effect on other countries in the region can be seen through commemorative stamps. Nalanda was sacked by turkic muslim invaders underbakhtiyar khalji in 1193, a milestone in the decline of buddhism in india. In modern times, other forms of media, such as phonograph records, video tapes, and cds have also been ceremoniously burned, torched, or shredded. The university was established in march, 1987 by an ordinance, promulgated by the government of bihar. At the time itsing was at the university, there were 3,700 monks. Economist amartya sen is the chairman of the governing body of the university and renowned teachers from various countries are its members. Nalanda 9 million books burnt in 1193 northeastshooters. Eventually, it came to host the thenlargest collection of. Nalanda was an ancient mahavihara, a revered hindubuddhist monastery which also served as a renowned centre of learning, in the ancient kingdom of magadha modernday bihar in india.
I faintly remember having studied about it and the harappan civilization together, in my grade 7 or 8, during history lessons. On 25 november 2010, the indian government, through an act of parliament, resurrected the ancient university through the nalanda university bill, and subsequently a new nalanda university was established. The two groups are calling for a ban of the book and the authors arrest on the grounds that. A voluminous and timely book published by dr pintu kumar of the department of history, motilal nehru college evening, university of delhi. How history was made up at nalanda arun shourie voice of. Nalanda universitys 15th governing board meeting held in delhi february 10, 2017.
This past friday in india, several members the bharatiya janata party, a rightwing political party, and the rashtriya swayamsevak sangh, a nongovernment hindu organization, joined together to protest perumal murugans novel mathorubagan by openly burning copies in front of a local police station. Nava nalanda mahavihara is devoted to the study and research in pali literature and. The much awaited nalanda university started its academic session on. The fall of nalanda university according to the records nalanda university was. Initially set up in temporary facilities in rajgir, a modern campus is expected to be finished by 2020. Nalanda was a renowned educational center between 427 and 1197 ad. The fall of nalanda university according to the records nalanda university was destroyed three times by invaders, but rebuilt only twice.
We invite you to join our next almsround on saturday 7 march, in taman o. Nalanda university s 15th governing board meeting held in delhi february 10, 2017. Who should apologise for the burning of nalanda university. Burning books, erasing memories alternate history of the world. The great library of nalanda university was destroyed, ransacked and burnt by the soldiers of khiljis army and it is said that it was so vast that the manuscripts kept burning for three months. Barbaric muslim pig bakhtiyar khilji burned 9 millions. Nalanda, ancient university and buddhist monastic center southwest of bihar sharif in central bihar state, northeastern india.
Given what we have seen of marxist historians even in this brief book, the brazenfaced distortionsto the point of falsehooddo not surprise me. Nalanda was probably sacked during muslim raids in bihar c. The ancient university of nalanda obtained significant fame, prestige and relevance during ancient times, and rose to legendary status due to its contribution to. The new venture is meant to be a revival of nalanda mahavihara, the oldest university in the world, which began in the early fifth century.
A university whose library kept burning for 30 days the. The final straw was the burning of the buildings by muslim invaders from what is now afghanistan. Nalanda university also known as nalanda international university is an international and researchintensive class located in the historical city of rajgir, in bihar, india. Nalanda university, which was set up at rajgir in bihar in 4 ad during the gupta dynasty, had emerged as a world seat of learning before it was destroyed sometime in the 11th century. Indias ancient university returns to life bbc news. Why was the world famous nalanda university burned. He also allegedly brutally slaughtered the students, monks, and scholars living in. Jun 24, 2012 muslims and burning of books and the burning and destruction of the great buddhist library at nalanda by muslim savages. Description about nalanda university libraries in the book paul.
Twenty years of illusion about islamism in response to reader comment. It is a fully airconditioned library with wifi connectivity. This ancient center of higher learning, located in bihar in the ancient kingdom of magadha, is indias second oldest university after takshila. Barbaric muslim pig bakhtiyar khilji burned 9 millions library books in nalanda university in india. In the 5th century ce,or more than 1500 year ago,the world s first and most illustrious international buddhist university developed at nalanda,near rajagaha than capital of the magadha kingdom of greater india. It was built by narsimha deva in the 6th century b. It was established by an act of parliament to emulate the famous ancient university of nalanda, which functioned between the 5th and th centuries. It was an eminent centre of learning long before oxford, cambridge and europes oldest university bologna were. Muslims and burning of books and the burning and destruction of the great buddhist library at nalanda by muslim savages. The ancient indian university which is taking students again.
Apr 08, 2018 nalanda was ransacked and destroyed by turkish muslim invaders under bakhtiyar khilji, a turkish chieftain, in 1193 ad. Initially set up in temporary facilities in rajgir, a. Nalanda university also known as nalanda international university is located in rajgir, near nalanda, bihar. Chinese pilgrim xuanzang hiuentsang visited the university and had wrote much about the university. Celebration at the main campus on the occasion of 71 st republic day. It is believed that the library of nalanda was so huge that it burned for months after the university was. Barbaric muslim pig bakhtiyar khilji burned 9 millions library books in nalanda university in india showing 111 of 11 messages. When the ruins are so aweinspiring, imagine the charm of the marvel of ancient india, nalanda university. The ancient university of nalanda obtained significant fame, prestige and. Nalanda, ancient university and buddhist monastic centre southwest of bihar sharif in central bihar state, northeastern india. Nalanda was one of the worlds first residential universities, i. Nalanda is now a notable tourist destination, and a part of the buddhist tourism circuit. The nalanda open university is the only university in the state of bihar meant for imparting learning exclusively through the system of distance education. Aug, 2015 the new venture is meant to be a revival of nalanda mahavihara, the oldest university in the world, which began in the early fifth century.
The library burned for three months after the invaders set fire to the. We can easily understand the strength and vastness of the library of nalanda university from the fact that it took so many months by the invaders to burn it down completely and the smoke of the burning invaluable books and nearly 9 million manuscripts stayed there for many days. Arun shourie the mine of learning, honoured nalandathat is how the 16th17th century tibetan historian, taranath, referred to the university at nalanda. The burning of the library continued for several months and smoke from the burning manuscripts hung for days like a dark pall over the low hills. Sep 28, 2016 given what we have seen of marxist historians even in this brief book, the brazenfaced distortionsto the point of falsehooddo not surprise me. Burning books, erasing memories alternate history of the. Officially accredited andor recognized by the university grants commission, india, nalanda university nu is a very small unirank enrollment range. The admission form, supported by the photo copy of the following documents, must reach the registrar, nalanda open university, 3rd floor, biscoumann bhawan, patna 800 001, bihar, before the last date for submission of form, either personally or by registered post. Any eligible person can apply for admission in one of the courses of his choice, offered by the university.