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Tourist attractions in Nalanda |
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There are several places of tourist attractions in Nalanda.
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The ruins of Nalanda University are spread over an area of 14 hectares of land.
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The university was constructed in the Kushana style of architecture, but the impact of the Pala dynasty is widely visible throughout. Past excavations suggest that a large part of the University is still unexcavated, but nowhere does it suggest that the whole site could have accommodated 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers.
The Hiuen Tsang Memorial Hall is said to have been built in the memory of Hiuen Tsang, a Chinese traveler who came to India in around 5th century AD. Hiuen Tsang was attracted by the glory of Nalanda University and stayed there for 12 years both as a student and as a teacher. He gave detailed and vivid description of the Indian political and social conditions of that time.
The Surya Mandir is a temple near the University dedicated to the Sun God. This temple has a number of statues of Hindu and Buddhist deities. A five feet high statue of Parvati is of particular interest.
The Nalanda museum was established in 1971 and has a good collection of ancient manuscripts and Buddhist statues. The manuscripts kept here were found during the excavation of the area and many of them are rare in appearance and style. The museum also displays artifacts of the Maurya, Gupta and other periods.
The Nav Nalanda Vihar was established in 1951 to keep the ancient tradition of spreading knowledge alive. The Bihar government has set up this institute that teaches Pali near the ancient university. In the institute Indian as well as foreign students study and do research work on Buddhism and Pali, which was a widely used language in the ancient times.
Weekend Trips/Excursions
There are several places to see and visit near Nalanda too.
Rajgir is around 12 km from Nalanda and a famous pilgrimage center for Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains. There are many places of interest here such as the Swarna Gufa, Griddhakuta Parvat, and Vishwa Shanti Stupa etc.
Bihar Sharif, 13 km away is the district headquarters and a center of Islamic architecture. The tomb of Malik Ibrahim Baya is situated here and an annual Urs is celebrated.
Bodh Gaya, the most important Buddhist pilgrimage center is around 50 km away from Nalanda. There is the Maha Bodhi Temple, monasteries built by the governments of Buddhist countries, and an archeological museum along with several other sites.
Gaya is situated around 65 km from Nalanda and is a major pilgrimage center for Hindus.
Pawapuri is situated at a distance of 47 km from Nalanda and believed to be the place where Lord Mahavira died.
Patna, the capital of Bihar and a great historical village is situated around 72 km northeast of Nalanda.
Events and Festivals
The events and festivals of Nalanda attract tourists from far and away.
Unique in Nalanda is the Chhath Puja, or worship of the Sun god. The most famous one is at the Sun temple in Baragaon near Nalanda, where new paddy, sweets, and fruits are offered in worship.
The Buddha was born, attained enlightenment and attained nirvana, all on the same full moon day of April/May. Thus, Baisakhi Purnima is celebrated as Buddha Jayanti here.
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