Exploring Nalanda.
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collage : vidisha |
DISCOVERY OF NALANDA
The first European account of the village Bargaon containing the ruins of Nalanda was given by Buchanon Hamilton (1812A.D) and found here some Brahmanical and Buddhist images. But it was in the sixties of that century that Cunningham identified the place with the ancient Nalanda. HGealso tried to identify the temples and monastries mentioned by Hiuen Tsang with the existing ruirns. After some years, Broadley carred out some unsystematic excavtions in Chaitya Site No. 12 and published a monograph on the place. For about twenty years Department of Archaeology excavated the site.
HIUEN TSANG
Huien Tsang, the renowned Chinese traveller of the seventh century was given titles of Master of the Lsaw (Dharma charya) God of Mahayana (Mahayanadeva) and Preceptor of Salvation (Mokshacharya) from Nalanda and else where. To welcome Huien Tsang-a long way ahead of the University, a deputation from the University met him in Bodh-Gaya and accompanied him to Nalanda. As he arrived, the bells pealed and all the alumni turned out to receive the guest. He was very warmly received and resided for several years and studied Tantraism. Whenever he walked on the streets a large elephant fully decked out was to walk behind him as a mark of his eminence. Glory be to the large-hearted culture of the age which could show such marks of respect to an impecunious scholar from abroad.
From the details of the university supplied by Hiuen Tsang we learn that the institution was a fully residential one. Inhabited by about 3 to 4 thousand students and teachers. The entire expenses for the board and other requirements of this large monastic establishment were met from munificent royal grants and endowments made by other wealthy people. The whole area was surrounded with a brick wall and the environs were dotted with mango groves deeptransparent pools, in which grew the blue lotus intermingled with the Kanaka flowers of deep red colour. The buildings were very high and richly adorned with towers- The upper rooms tower above the clouds and from the windows one smay see how winds and the conjunctions of the sun and moon may be observed The great structures had Pearled pillars, carved and ornamented richly adorned balustrades, and roofs covered with tiles that reflect the light in a thousand shades., The turrets seem to be lost in the vapours of the morning
The alumni of Nalanda was famed thoughout the land for their great learing and for the right observance of a disciplined life as enjoined by the Buddhist code. Every detail of the life and activities of the University was strictly regulated accsording to very exacting rules of discipline and laxityt was never tolerated. But the observance of these rules was so smooth, reports Huien Tsang, that hardly an occasion arose during the centuries of any serious breach of discipline. But if occasion did ever arise, it was met with the most drastic punishment. The large number of students who flocked here from all parts of India and abroad were accommodated in Guest Houses snear the different gates of the university and these Guest houses were superintended over by very learned scholars known as the Dvara Panditas or Gate Professors The admission-seelers were lodged in the Guest House for several weeks, during which time these Gate-Professors closely studied the personality of the canbidates, observed their daily be haviour and entered into intellectual conversation with them to test their mental caliber and academic abilities. So hard were these tests and go very selective was the scrutiny, remarks Hiuen Tsang that of all the claimants to admission, as many as seven or eight out of every ten had to go back-no matter from what vast distances they might have come. Even those who succeeded in passing the admission test were not quite secure in respect of their scholastic status. Hiuen Tsang reports that as soon as they entered the debates ie the Seminer discussions, the pride of many a new entrant was certain to be humbed at the hands of the abler ones.
The curriculum of studies at the university comprised a wide range-practically all branches of Knowledge pursued by the intelligentsia of the age. Instruction was imparted not only in all branches of Buddhism, its scriptures and theology, but also in Brahanical Vedic studies, literature in general, philosophuy, Logic, Grammer, Phetoric and Phonetic Ivedeins, Chemistry, Metallurgy etc.
Hiuen Tsang has given us some information also regarding the system of teaching in this seat of learning which greatly influenced the culture and intellectual life of all Asia of that age. We gather that studies were conducted by means of hundreds of large and small groups or classes of the teachers and the taught who were in close co-operation with each other. The Nalanda method was the method of discussion and debate among the teachers and the scholars, the seminar method as it may be called in modern terms.
1. Tsing is next in importance to Hiuen Tsang who reached India in 673 and studied at Nalanda for a considerable time. His work records very minute details about the life led by the Nalanda monks which he regarded as the ideal to be followed by the Buddhists all over the world. He says that the number of monks of the Nalanda monastery exceeded three thousand in number, maintained by more than two hundred villages bestowed by previous kings.
Nalanda had by now acquired a celebrity spread all over the east as a centre of Buddhist theogy and educational acivities. This is evident from the fact, that within a short period of 30 years following Hiuen Tsangs departure, no less than eleven Chinese and Korean travelers are known to have visited Nalanda.
EXCAVATION SITE
The approach-road to the excavated site leads through an old passage between the side-walls of monastery Site I on the left and monastery Site 4 and 5 on the right. On entering through the eastern gate, the visitor will finds the row of temples on the west and that of the monasteries on the east.
MAIN Temple (Site No. 3)
The main temple standing at the southern extremity of the row of temples is at once the largest and most imposing solid structure standing in the middle of court surrounded by a number of small votive stupas, many of which were twice or even three times built on over the other on the same spot. During excavations it was found that the very small original structure was enlaned by later temples built over and around the ruins of the earlier ones. The present mound being the result of seven successive accumulations. The three different stair cases that can be seen to the north belong to the fifth, sixth and seventh periods, the last two originally covering up the earlier one. The fifth of these successively built temples in the most interesting and the best preserved. At had four corner towers of which there have been exposed, and was decorated with rows of niches containging well modeled stucco figures of Buddha and the Bodhisattvas. The votive stupas sometimes contain in their core bricks inscribed with sacred texts.
The Staircase of the sixth period will take you on the top the Shrine Chamber. It presumably contained colossal image of Buddha, as the pedestal therein would indicate.
Monastery site I.A. and I.B.- To the east of the Main Temple and on a higher level are the remains of the two monasteries. Having their entrances to the north and facing a brick paved court. The buildings are provided on all the foursides with small cells. The shrine chambers is situated in the middle of the south row of cells. In Monastery site IB there is an octagonal well at the north west corner of the brick paved court. A pit sunk on one side of the court of each of the monastries revealed the existence of an earlier court a few feet below the upper one, indicating that these two monasteries were built directly over the ruins of earlier buildings on the same spot.
Monastery site I- Is themost important of the group lying to the north east of site IA. Here there are nine levels each of which is indicated by conerets pavements and superimposed walls and drains. The lower monastery, of which the cells are seen near the entrance on the western and along the southern and eastern sides, is believed to have been constructed in the reign of Devapala, the third king of the Pala dynastu. The monastery consists, as usual, of a number or monks cells and originally having two or probably more, storeys.
Monasery site 4- Its northern half was excavated right down to the lowest level of occupation and an earlier monaster was thus brought to hight. Near the north end of the eastern verandah of the lower monastery was found a coin of Kumar a gupta which is one of the earliest finds recorded at Nalanda.
Monastery annexe site 5- A feature of this monastery is that there are two rows of cells, the cells in the front row communicating with each other through corbelled doorways. From this area a clay mound of Gupta coins was discovered.
Monastery annexe site 6- The visitor may return to the open space in front of the row of monasteries and proceed northward. A feature of interest here is the two sets of double ovens in the upper countyard which the monks might have used for cooking or for some practical demonstration to students.
Monastery annexe site 7- Here three successive monasteries were built on the same site, each on the ruins of a previous one on a smaller one. The site has been so excavated as to indicate the three periods of occupation.
Monastery annexe site 8- Here too two differentlevels of occupation may be distinguished by the usual indications.
Monastery annexe site 9- Here the open space at the north end of the western vernnah was blocked up subsequently to from a separate cell which was provided with a small corbelled door, about 6 ft. high.
Monastery annexe site 10- An interesting feature is that the doors had arches, set in mud-mortar, instead of wooden lintels. Traces of these arches may still be seen.
Monastery annexe site 11- Lying near cultivated fields and was exposed in a very badly damaged condition.
Temple site 12- This structure broadly, represents two different periods of construction, a later having been erected directly upon the ruins of an earlier one. The external façade of the earlier structure was decorated throughout with projecting niches and pilasters of various pattern though few of the niches now contain images. The outer plian is 170 ft. by 165 ft. The later structure is also on the plan. The chaitya has an oblong projection at each of the four corners to accommodate four small shrines and shows a broad flight of steps in the middle. The fore court at the south east corner of the chaitya is studded with votive stupas of different sizes. To the north and south of the temple are two brick shrines, each containing traces of a colossal stucco statue of Buddha in earthtouching pose.
Temple site 13- Stands to the north of site No. 12, now almost in ruins. Portions of the external wall indicate two different period of construction. The earlier external walls though much dilapidated, still retain evidence to show that they were provided with beautiful niches. The most remarkable feature of this site is a brick- made smelting furnace situated to the north of the main structure. The furnace is made of four chambers being provided with two flues for the fire to burn all air to pass. The discovery of burnt metal pieces. Slag of metal and other similar objects from the furnace tends to show that it was used for casting metal objects.
Temple site 14- To the north of site No. 13 is an other temple, of the same dimensions and almost identical features. The outer walls show two periods of construction. Inside the chamber is seen the inter locked legs and the head of a clossalt stucco image of Buddha, interesting feature of the temple is the painting in the niches of he pedestal of the image, the extant specimen of mural painting at Nalanda.
Temple site 2- The temple is different in character and not conforming to the hgeneral lay out of the remains. The special interest is the dado of 21 sculptured panel over the moulded plinth. These panels are symmetrically arranged, 20 appearing on each side of the main entrance and 57 in each of the three remaining walls. There is a large variety of scenes depicted on them human figure in various attitudes household scene: Kinnaras playing on musical instruments Siva and Parvati: Kartikeya on his peacock: the god Agni Kubera and Gaja Lakshmi; the child Gautam: a human headed bird: a sanke charmer etc. The sculptures belong the 6th or 7th century and the present temple seems to belong to a latter date; it is likely that the sculptures originally beloged to an earlier temple and were utilized to decorate the present temple when it was built.
Image of Buddha- In an enclosule to the east of Temple No. 14 is preserved a colossal stone image of seated Buddha.
Image of Marchi- the local people worship the image as a Hindu deity, can be seen 100 yeards to the east of the No. 14.
The Environs of the Nalanda Site
SUN TEMPLE
Surajpur- Bargaon (Nalanda) is a village adjacent to the ruins of Nalanda. The temple of Sury enshrining a very interesting collection of Brahmanical and Buddhist images. A beautiful image of Parvati, about 5ft. high attracts attention of its beautiful features. In the mandap are four images of Surya, Vishnu, Siva Parvati, Avalokitesvara etc. Nearby is a big tank, sacred to Suriya. Two times in a year, the chatta ceremony (Sun worship) is held here.
HIUEN TSANG MEMORIAL HALL
The Government of India has undertaken the construction of Memorial at Nalanda which is a K.M. to the north east of the Nalanda site.
NAV NALANDA MAHAVIHARA
Close to the ancient Nalanda on the bank of famous lotus tank is the new building of the Nalanda institute a centre of post-graduate studies in Pali and Buddhology.
KUNDAL PUR
Kundalpur is about 1K.M. from Nalanda site. The Digamberas believe that Vardhaman Mahavira, the last and 24th . Tirthankars of the Jains was borne here. Kundal pur is a sacred place of the jains. But according to some historians the birth place of Lord Mahavira was VAISHALI. The historic city of Vaishali was the capital of the ancient Republic of the Lichchavis. The city or Vaishalis said to have been founded by Vaichchavis. The city or Vaishalis said to have founded by Vishals, the son of lkshvaku. Lord Buddha also delivered many sermons in the monasteries of Vaishali Muzaffarpur and Hazipur are two railway stations on the North Eastern Railway from where can be visited Vaishali by buses.
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