The Nalanda University Destruction
In ancient India, the name of the Nalanda University was well-established and respected throughout the world. The main reason was that this university gave the world a new dimension of learning about science, religion, medicine, and other disciplines of modern society. The Nalanda University was originally called a Mahavihara, a Buddhist Monastery. Even, the vastness of teaching canopy of the Nalanda university at that time was highly advanced and scientific as well. But one thing comes to our mind how this famous university was destroyed in ruins. The Nalanda University was established by Kumar Gupta 1 of the Gupta dynasty in the 5th century AD. Over time, it was patronized by other dynasties like King Harshavardhana of Kannauj (7th century AD) and the Pala rulers (8th — 12th century AD).
In its lifetime, the different invaders destroyed Nalanda University three times. The first destruction was caused by the Huns under the reign of Mihirakula. The second destruction came during the 7th century by the Goudas. The third attack on the Nalanda University by the Turkish leader Bakhtiyar Khilji during the year 1193 was the most destructive and lethal which the Nalanda University could not bear its damages and ruined into the pieces as well. The total lifespan of Nalanda University was from 427 to 1197 AD. As far as the geographical location of Nalanda University is concerned, it is situated 95 kilometres southeast of Patna near the town of Bihar Sharif. Nalanda University was a complete residential university where about 2,000 teachers and 10,000 students lived at that time. It is found that not a single Turkish invasion by Khilji is not solely responsible for the destruction of the Nalanda university, rather there were a lot of destructive reasons for its downfall. Now follow the reasons and get your answer to your query about the Nalanda University destruction.
Turkish Invasions: It is well accepted that Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khilji was responsible for the destruction of the Nalanda University. But two reasons were whispered. One reason was that Bakhtiyar Khilji was searching for the Quran in the Nalanda University library and he could not find it. As a result, he was annoyed and lit the fire in the library and destroyed it. Another reason was that he was miffed when a Buddhist monk named Rahul Sri Bhadra was able to cure Khilji’s disease and his Islamic doctors could not. After that, the Sultan decided to terminate the source of this ability by burning down the Nalanda University library, destroying around 9 million books, and effectively suppressing Buddhism. It took 3 months to burn down the library.
Loss of Royal Patronage: The historical records show a steady decline in royal patronage, affecting the university’s finances and causing economic instability to run the university.
Faculty Exodus: There were more universities during Nalanda University’s time. They were Vikramashila, Somapura, Odantapurā, and Jaggadala. It is said that the regular invasion and plundering of manuscripts made the faculty leave Nalanda University at regular intervals which weakened its teaching ecosystem as well. It was like an intellectual drain from Nalanda University.
Competition from Emerging Centres: At the time of Nalanda University, Vikramshila is the prime teaching competitor at that time. It was found that the invaders always kept their eyes on the rich teaching resources at Nalanda University. But they never look for the other mahavihara to plunder the manuscripts. As time passed, Nalanda University kept losing its manuscripts at regular intervals. Therefore, other competitors were getting extra advantages from it.
Plundered Manuscripts: Plundering the manuscripts at regular intervals did not happen only at the hand of the invaders rather it is precisely saying that it was also plundered by the other invaders like different religious sects.
Decline in Student Enrolment: Continuous invasion at Nalanda University at regular intervals causes a decline in student enrolment due to the fear of insecurity in the student’s minds.
Religious Conflicts: The advent of Hinduism at the time of the later stage of Nalanda University’s lifespan caused the development of religious conflicts with Buddhism. The reason is that the Hindu sects liked to establish their religious principles in the region and Buddhists also liked to resist it. Therefore, the continuous conflicts between the two religious sects developed and it ultimately began to resist to keep serenity in the Nalanda University.
Neglected Maintenance: Indeed, the consistent plundering and invasions made it possible to give the wrong message to the rulers of the dynasty under which the Nalanda University is run. Therefore, it made the ruler by ignoring its recurring maintenance and staying away from it.
Loss of Cultural Prestige: We should keep in mind that every educational institution should have cultural and academic prestige in its teaching and student community. When it is lost, then the educational institution also gets to lose its foot in the educational community. It happened the same thing to Nalanda University.
Political Instability: At that time, there was political instability in the Magadh region which was affecting the university. It only happened due to the religious conflicts already begun between Hindu sects and Buddhist sects and it destabilised the political stability in that region which ultimately destroyed the political serenity as well.
Erosion of Trade Routes: The main reason for the erosion of trade routes is the recurring invasions whether it is small in dimension or in the bigger dimension, impacting the local economy. It is true that history never records the small invasions at that time. It worked like when an ant bites but the pain feeling is small and when a group of ant bites, then the pain feeling becomes in a bigger dimension and gets affected as well. It developed the trade route erosion in this way over time.
Deteriorating Education Quality: After the invasion of Khilji on the Nalanda University, the deteriorating education quality took a great negative turn and after that, it never got back to its previous form as well. Practically, it destroyed all emotions of the teaching ecosystem and it affected badly in the minds of the teachers and students of Nalanda University. Therefore, the deteriorating education quality began and destroyed it slowly and steadily.
Lack of Teaching Innovation: You should know that if you do not follow the latest trends, then you will be finished. This same thing happened to the Nalanda University. Actually, Nalanda University never developed advanced teaching innovations for the students at that time and could not stay on the current teaching trends at that time.
Failure to Adapt: Nalanda never rose to adapt to changing times and educational needs so its decline was inevitable and happened precisely.
Sectarianism: The rise of sectarianism within Buddhism was developed and it was causing divisions within the university. Therefore, the total teaching ecosystem was totally dismantled and ruined.
Loss of Libraries: If you find that money is not in your bank account, then you will be mad as well. This same thing happened to Nalanda University at that time because the library was Nalanda’s money and the pool of teachers and students was its bank. When Nalanda lost its library, its bank collapsed and never rose again as well.
Indeed, Nalanda University was famous and well-accepted at that time due to the richness of its teaching resources but it never thought that it should take stern action against the invasion and plunders. If it took it seriously, then the rich knowledge could be steered to the next generations and the world would built on the new dimension of knowledge which we still never recovered the loss.
