Question

With reference to the sources of information about the Gupta Age, write short notes on the following:
Nalanda University

Answer 1

It was the most renowned educational institution of ancient India. Located at Nalanda in Rajagriha in Bihar, it was originally set up by Sakraditya in the 5th century AD during the reign of Kumaragupta-I. The University of Nalanda had imposing buildings. There were at least 8 colleges built by different patrons including one by Balaputradeva, King of Sumatra. According to Hiuen Tsang, the whole university area was enclosed by a brick wall. Nalanda University provided various facilities to the students for their studies. There were three great libraries called Ratnasagar, Ratnodadhi, and Ratnaranjak. There were more than 10,000 students including teachers of all kinds. They came from Korea, Mongolia, Japan, China, Tibet, Ceylon, and various parts of India. The subjects of study at Nalanda University were all four Vedas, logic, grammar, medicine, Samkhya, yoga, Nyaya, and the Buddhist works of the different schools. It was’ not an ordinary university. It was a post-graduate institution to which admission was very difficult. Before admission, an examination was held in which hardly 20% of students passed and the rest of 80% were rejected. Only the most brilliants were admitted to the University. Nalanda continued to be a beacon of light up to 12th century AD when it was destroyed by Mohammad-bin-Bakhtiyar Khilji, a general of Mohammad Ghori. Today only the remains of its magnificence and glory can be seen.