| Nalanda District
| Total Population : 2,370,528 |
| Total literate : 1,015,473 |
| Rural : 2,016,899 |
Urban : 353,629 |
| Male : 1,238,599 |
Female : 1,131,929 |
Brief
about District
Nalanda,
where ruins of the great ancient university have been
excavated, is situated at a distance of 90 km. south
east of Patna by road. It falls on way to Rajgir.
It is also linked by rail with Patna, Rajgir and Bakhtiyarpur.
Hieun Tsang, the renowned Chinese traveller of the
seventh century, says that according to tradition
the place owed its name to a Naga of the same name
which resided in a local tank. But he thinks it more
probable that Lord Buddha, in one of his previous
births as Bodhisatwa, became a king with his capital
at this place and that his liberality won for him
and his capital the name Nalanda or "Charity without
intermission". The third theory about the name of
the place is that it derived from Nalam plus da. Nalam
means lotus which is a symbol for knowledge and Da
means given the place had many lotuses. Nalanda has
a very ancient history.
It
was frequently visited by Lord Vardhamana Mahavir
and Lord Buddha in the 6th century BC. during his
sajourns, the Lord Buddha found this place prosperous,
swelling, teeming with population and containing mango-groves.
It is also supposed to be the birth place of Sariputra,
one of the Chief disciple of the Lord Buddha. The
great stupa flanked by flights of steps and terraces,
votive stupas and beautiful sculpture give the present
day tourists a glimpse of the past glory that once
was Nalanda.
Many
of the stupas were two or even three times built one
over the other on the same spot. In the course of
excavation it has been found that the very small original
structure was enlarged by later temples built over
and around the ruins of the earlier ones. The main
stupa is the result of seven successive accumulations
of the shrine-chamber on the top, facing both, can
be approached by the staircase of the sixth period.
It presumably contained a colossal image of the Lord
Buddha, as the pedestal therein would indicate. Places
to See : The Nalanda University Archaeological Complex,
the total area of the excavation is about 14 hectares.
All
the edifices are of red brick and the gardens are
beautiful. The buildings are divided by a central
walkway that goes south to north, the monasteries
or "Viharas" are east of this central alley and the
temples of "Chaiyas" to the west.
Places
to See
The
Nalanda University Archaeological Complex The total
area of the excavation is about 14 hectares. All the
edifices are of red brick and the gardens are beautiful.
The buildings are divided by a central walkway that
goes south to north, the monasteries or "Viharas"
are east of this central alley and the temples of
"Chaiyas" to the west. The Vihara-1 is perhaps the
most interesting with its cells on two floors built
around a central courtyard where steps lead up to
what must have been a dais for the professors to address
their students.
A
small chapel still retains a half broken statue of
the Lord Buddha. The enormous pyramidal mass of the
Temple No.3 is impressive and from its top commands
a splendid view of the entire area.
It
is surrounded by smaller stupas, many of which are
studded with small and big statues of the Lord Buddha
in various poses or 'Mudras'. The Nalanda Archaeological
Museum Opposite the entrance to the ruins of the university
and houses, it has a small but beautiful collection
of Buddhist and Hindu bronzes and a number of undamaged
statues of the Lord Buddha that were found in the
area.
Two
enormous terracotta Jars of the first century stand
intact behind the museum in a shaded enclosure. The
collection includes copper plates and stone inscriptions,
coins, pottery and samples of burnt rice (12th century
AD) found among the ruins here. Open during 10.00
to 17.00 hours. Closed on Friday. Nava Nalanda Mahavihara
Nava Nalanda Mahavihara is devoted to study and research
in Pali Literature and Buddhism. This is a new institute,
where students from foreign countries also study.
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