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and every unsolved mystery buried in history.
Only on History Hunter.
In today's episode,
we'll discuss how the world's greatest university disappeared
from the pages of history.
(SIGHS)
Tell me honestly,
are you tired of skipping through reels every 2 seconds,
worn out by nonsensical antics in the name of content?
So, worry not, I am here.
I will unfold the hidden mysteries of Indian history,
lift the veil from secrets, and reveal the truth to everyone.
I will show you some unknown places
and introduce you to some great personalities.
I will foster a friendship between India's amazing past and present.
Only on History Hunter with Maniesh Paul.
What was common among the great scholars Nagarjuna,
Dignaga, and Dharmakirti?
They were all graduates of one of the world's oldest universities.
Nalanda University was the world's most advanced
and extensive educational institution.
The subjects taught here were not being taught anywhere else
in the world.
Astronomy, logic, and medicine were taught here.
The modern world got to know about all this in the 19th century.
For centuries, this great university lay buried beneath the earth.
But why?
Looking at physical evidence
it seems that it had almost ceased to exist for about 700-800 years,
it was not in the awareness of the common people.
Was the education being taught here responsible for the downfall
of this university?
Their philosophy gradually shifted.
They began consuming meat, liquor, etc.
Or did foreign invaders destroy this temple of knowledge?
The first known attack we see in this region is by the Alchon Huns,
during which we come across the name Mihirakula.
Some believe that after the 8th century
this university gradually lost its significance.
There were other viharas like Vikramshila, Somapura, Odantapuri,
which were rival institutions that were built by
the Pala dynasty and Pala kings.
So they attracted monks even to those places.
Nalanda Mahavihara
whose foundation was laid in the 5th century BC.
Yes, during the time of Buddha.
It was developed into a university-like institution
in the 5th century AD under the Gupta Empire's ruler Kumaragupta.
How did the signs of such a great university get erased?
A university where the greatest scholar
and traveller in human history, Hiuen Tsang, came to study
from 16,000 km away on foot.
Was it destroyed by a fire?
Or did it fall victim to politics?
Was it destroyed by outside forces?
Or were the students studying here themselves behind it?
Did the change in syllabus plunge
the university's future into darkness?
They say, silence speaks when no one else does.
In History Hunter,
I will unearth the real history of this knowledge centre.
So come with me and let's find out how...
Nalanda University perished.
In 1811-12,
locals from a village in Bihar informed local authorities
about Buddhist statues and ruins being found.
The recovery left historians and archaeologists astonished.
When Scottish physician, Francis Buchanan Hamilton,
arrived here to do a survey, he was unable to figure
whom these ruins might belong to.
In 1847
the officer of the Bengal 6th Native Infantry, Markham Kittoe, arrived.
Kittoe was also an archaeologist.
After inspecting the site, he immediately realised
that these ruins were part of a world-famous heritage
that had been buried for centuries.
But how?
Right now, I'm standing near the ruins of Nalanda Mahavihara.
Some 90 km away from Patna.
In 1861, Alexander Cunningham also arrived at the same location
where Hamilton and Kittoe had been previously.
Cunningham conducted excavations at this site
and uncovered two inscriptions
which contained references to the great Nalanda University.
The discovery marked a Eureka moment for Indian history.
Using those (inscriptions) Cunnigham was the one
who actually identifies the site
as the site Nalanda visited by Hiuen Tsang.
Alexander Cunnigham,
is the first Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India.
He set up the Archaeological Survey of India In 1861
and he visited many sites in North India and excavated them.
Nalanda was one of them.
However, the institute where great scholars like Nagarjuna,
Dignaga and Dharmakirti once studied had completely disappeared.
It's perplexing how a place where Buddha once walked...
could meet such a fate.
People believe that
this university was established here since the time of Buddha,
because this place has been known by the name of Pavarika since his era.
Even scriptures of the Buddhist religion
mention its existence.
Fa-Hien visited the area in the early 5th century.
He doesn't really record the name Nalanda
but he mentions a place called Nalo.
The way he records the location of Nalo
south of Patna, north of Rajgir, and so on.
Nalanda fits to its location.
This university, which you now see in the form of these ruins
was established by Kumaragupta.
It also received support from Harshvardhan
and the Pal dynasty later.
With all that support, the university grew and flourished.
By the 7th and 8th centuries
it had taken on the form of a Mahavihara.
We refer to it as a Mahavihara
which in today's terms would be akin to a university.
But these words didn't exist back then.
It is said that when the university was in full swing,
the king donated around 200 villages.
By this, we mean that the revenue
or produce generated by 200 villages
including milk, yogurt, wheat,
were given to the disciples and teachers there.
This ensured that nobody had to go outside to seek alms.
But time...
time had other plans.
It was going to change the university's future.
It is possible that those who held political power in other regions
might not have liked such
a significant intellectual centre.
So the first attack we see here is
by the Alchon Huns
during which the name of Mihirakula is mentioned.
Those attacks dealt a significant blow to this temple of knowledge.
However, it is said that knowledge cannot be destroyed,
which is why Nalanda managed to survive.
But the dangers upon this university didn't end there.
So it was an establishment that was active for a long time
but it is not necessary that it was this large Mahavihara throughout.
It would have had its gradual growth and according to evidence
it shows a gradual decline as well.
There were other viharas like, Vikramashila,
Somapura, Odantapuri, which were rival institutions
that were built by the Pala dynasty and the Pala Kings.
Starting from the 8th century onwards.
So they attracted monks even to those places.
We found four distinct layers in Nalanda's ruins.
These layers provide strong evidence that at one point
the university ceased to exist
but was subsequently rebuilt.
External pressures were mounting,
and competitive universities were emerging in nearby areas.
However, Nalanda continued to receive support from some kings
and continued to grow for some time.
In his book, "The Life of Hiuen Tsang,"
Shaman Hwui Li mentioned tall structures here.
He wrote that there were beautifully decorated minarets,
ornate towers, and multi-storeyed courts in the university.
The upper rooms of these courts touched the clouds.
It is said that there were more than 10,000 students here
from all over the world.
And more than 2500 teachers were here to teach them.
Imagine this, it's the 5th-6th century,
there's no technology, no internet, no newspaper,
and yet Nalanda was known globally.
How amazing is that?
Because Nalanda was located in the outer region of Rajgir
and people would come here from China via the Silk Route,
as well as from Central Asia or Southeast Asia.
So this would have also contributed to the promotion of the university.
In this world-famous Nalanda University
admission was not easily obtained.
One had to work hard, give an entrance test,
and that too standing right at the university gates,
examined by the Dwar Pandits. Don't you know Dwar Pandits?
You know the examiners at the gate.
I love the name "Dwar Pandit." I see one now. Sir!
- Sir. - Where are you from?
From my home.
- Why are you here? - To hunt.
To hunt?
No... not that hunting, history hunter.
You took permission?
Yes, I have everyone's permission, ASI, FBI, CBI... Everyone's.
What's the value of pi?
The value of pi... Um, I'm not sure.
Can I please go?
What is "Mulamadhyamakakarika"?
What is what...
Ask me something else.
Tell me about "Sambandha parikchavrtti".
No, no. I don't have any relations to your question.
But I want to study, please let me in.
Okay, but study well!
Guruji...
Friends, I can slowly recall my past.
I've been to Nalanda University earlier as well,
I remember walking all the way from Uganda.
The Dwar pandits took my interview in a similar manner and I passed.
Yes.
No, it is a big deal,
because only two out of ten used to pass this gate test.
And I was one of them.
I have some great talent, but I have never been arrogant.
But can you imagine an acceptance rate of just 20 percent?
But I'll give my 100 percent to find out
the mystery hidden in these ruins.
I will only rest once I figure the mystery of what happened
to Nalanda University.
Nalanda Mahavihara.
How is it possible that a place
that was disseminating knowledge to students from around the world
turn into ruins?
It is also said that only 10 percent of the university site
has been excavated so far by ASI.
A Chinese traveller named Munishri,
came here after Hiuen Tsang.
As per his records
the university was around 48 le.
Meaning it was built in that perimeter.
As per scholars, 1 le in today's times
is equal to 500 metres.
So if we were to calculate 48 le
then we get an area spanning 20 km at least.
This means that a significant portion of Nalanda University
is yet to be excavated and explored.
Perhaps these secrets are yet to be unearthed from here.
There were millions of manuscripts in the university.
The various things that were taught by scholars,
the mantras, and their pronunciation
all of that was preserved there.
It's said there were three libraries,
Ratnaranjak, Ratnadadhi, Ratnasagar,
and they were all in a place called Dharmaganj.
Today, one of the world's biggest libraries
are the British Library in the UK and the US Library of Congress.
It's said that they collectively hold over 170 million items.
It is said that Nalanda also had millions of manuscripts.
However, ASI has not found any evidence pointing to this.
In Tibetan sources, there is mention of a nine-storey library,
and those accounts also provide a reason for its eventual end.
It's said that some Brahmin ascetics were passing through here
when some mischievous students
splashed dirty water on them.
In retaliation, the angered ascetics convened for a sacrificial ritual,
they then hurled its fire at the nine-storey library
and Ratnaranjak was reduced to ashes.
We haven't found any evidence,
whether the library was nine-storey, three-storey or four-storey.
The archaeological remnants found belong to nine distinct layers.
Implying the remains of structural stages were found
from Vihar Number 1,
which had nine successive occupational levels.
Additionally,
we found evidence of four separate instances of destruction here.
But there is no archaeological evidence to support the claim
of it being a nine-storey structure.
When the picture isn't clear from up-close,
you need to take a step back,
which changes both your vision and your perspective.
This is what Professor Rajani did.
She mapped Nalanda using satellite imaging.
So did she spot a library anywhere?
Was she able to trace the exact location of the library?
Or was it a different picture altogether?
I started by looking at the large area
covering the whole of south Bihar.
And I saw that there were many water bodies
that clustered around Nalanda.
There were long rectangular water bodies,
there were square water bodies, there were circular,
but there were more squares that have dried on the sides.
And the site itself was in the centre.
So this is an anomaly.
There is no other reason for so many water bodies
to have come around this area,
but to support a large settlement.
In 2022, towards the west of Nalanda University,
the distillation of one of the ponds was going on.
The pond known as Deher Pokhar.
A solid embankment
was found in the lower tier of the pond.
According to a description by Hiuen Tsang,
scholars of Nalanda used to bathe around a beautiful
and solid embankment.
We have unearthed significant remnants
in the form of physical evidence.
The way ASI in their latest discovery
found a pond thousands of years old,
is it possible that somewhere in such a large unexcavated area
is a hidden library which no one has found as yet?
We have found 6 buildings that are called as temples
because they are sacred structures,
and we have about 11 buildings which were monasteries.
So they have monastic cells and a central hall.
Then there are several other smaller structures
which may have been shrines.
Within the excavated area of Nalanda,
no other structures that have been excavated
that indicate that it was a library, let alone a nine-storey library.
So far, all the credible evidence
points to Monastery Number 4.
Designed to house manuscripts,
the presence of a sacred zone further supports this hypothesis
because similar architectural features have been seen in buildings
identified as libraries at the Vikramshila.
So, Monastery Number 4 appears to have...
a structure resembling a library.
Monastery Number 4,
has a structure resembling a library,
but let me show how the other monasteries here were.
This is Monastery Number 6.
As you can see, there is an open space in the middle
and there are rooms all around, where the students used to stay.
And their classes used to take place in this open area.
On one side was a temple.
Teachers would sit on this podium and teach their students.
There was a well
and a makeshift stove to cook food as well.
The 10 monasteries found during excavation
nearly have a similar structure,
except for one, Monastery Number 1.
Its structure is different.
Perhaps, this unique structure was one of the reasons
for the downfall of this university.
What was happening behind this structure?
Was something that shouldn't have been going on,
taking place in this university?
What ultimately happened to the university
that was responsible for spreading knowledge across the world
for centuries?
Who was behind the destruction of Nalanda University?
There are several reasons for this.
One of them includes the entry of different sects of Buddhism
such as Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism.
While Mahayana was originally pure
it later incorporated elements of Tantra.
So it appears that there was some disagreement
about it among people.
Especially if we look at Monastery Number 1,
we see that in the fifth phase
people started constructing stupas right in the courtyard.
So the open place where discourses and classes took place--
This signifies an ideological conflict.
Could it be that within the high walls of Monastery Number 1,
the practise of Tantra was taking place?
Was it this practise, that shouldn't have been taking place?
Did Nalanda's significance diminish due to the interplay
between Theravada, Mahayana, and then Tantra Buddhism?
Their philosophy gradually incorporated elements
like, Tantrayana, and the Panchamakara,
which included the consumption of meat,
fish, and alcohol.
While the practise of Tantrayana was correct
its interpretation among the people was wrong.
They believed that monks themselves were engaging in such activities
and as a result, over time there was a decline in interest towards it.
Another reason for the decline of Nalanda
that has come to light is the rise of Tantra Buddhism.
It led to disagreements among monks themselves
and perhaps also why the locals and the kings
also stopped supporting this university.
So the kings stopped paying attention to the university
and attacks on it started to increase.
But who were the ones targeting a knowledge centre like this?
It is believed that an attack by Bakhtiyar Khilji
was also one of the reasons for the destruction of Nalanda.
You find a mention of this
in Tabaqat-E-Nasiri by Minhaj-ul-Siraj.
In which he interviewed two brother
who were soldiers.
As per their account when Bakhtiyar Khilji arrived
the area was like a great fortress.
There were hundreds of Brahmins with shaven heads there.
When Bakhtiyar Khilji got there he began a massacre,
and ordered that the millions of books
in the university be destroyed.
After Bakhtiyar Khilji's attack, Nalanda never rose again.
This was the final and fatal blow to its fate.
The infrastructure of this magnificent Mahavihara,
along with its countless manuscripts was destroyed.
The remaining students fled
and no one mustered the courage to ever return again.
And after that the greatest university
in the history of India came to an end forever.
From my investigation,
it is clear that there were not one but many reasons behind
the destruction of Nalanda University
which gradually eroded the existence of this great institution.
Now, whether it was the fire of Khilji,
the sacrificial fire of that Brahmin ascetic,
or the divergence towards Theravada, Mahayana,
and Tantra Buddhism beliefs.
The truth is we lost an educational institution from our history
that could have shown not only India,
but the entire world, a new face of knowledge
and wisdom in the future.
This is Maniesh Paul signing off.
We'll see you soon to solve another mystery
only on History Hunter.
But before that,
don't be a trouble maker be a History Hunter.
Subtitle Caption by ZestCorp