Nalanda, along with the Vikramshila university near Bhagalpur in Bihar, were the two ancient repositories of Buddhist learning in India till they were both destroyed by invaders.
Takshila in present day Pakistan -- widely considered as the oldest university in the world -- was the other important centre for Buddhist teaching.
Founded under the Gupta empire, Nalanda was destroyed thrice and rebuilt twice before it was finally burnt -- according to the Archaeological Survey of India -- by marauding Turkish invaders led by Bakhtiyar Khilji. Its nine-storeyed library and priceless books, the government tourist guide notes, burned for days.
Today, the ruins of the university are easily one of the Archeological Survey of India's best kept monuments. Just before the harsh north Indian summer set in, its green lawns and colourful dahlias make a perfect picture against the red brick remains.
Resurrecting such a glittering academic past will not be easy, but that it is being revived is a fitting tribute to one of the finest universities of all time.
Image: The entrance to the Nalanda museum.
Also see: Singapore to Help Revive Ancient Indian University
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