The majestic ‘Nālandā Māha Vihāra’ was established during the Gupta Period in the 5th Century CE, in the city of Nalanda, where once the Buddha delivered the Kevatta Sutta (Digha Nikaya 11) and spoke about the ‘Miracle of Education’.  This key learning institution was not just for Buddhist monastics, but also for students of secular subjects including medicine, mathematics and philosophy.  At its peak, the university hosted over 10,000 students from all around the world, the most famous of which is Ven. Xuan Zang.

After operating uninterrupted for almost 800 years, it was destroyed by Muslim invaders.  In the following centuries, its ruins became entirely concealed until parts of its estimated 400-acre large campus were discovered in the 1800s.  In 2016, this renowned ancient Buddhist university was declared as a “UNESCO World Heritage Site” and forms part of the pilgrimage destination for many Buddhists.

We applaud BBC History for commissioning and producing this short documentary on the infamous Nālandā Māha Vihāra.  Watch this informative video to know more about its history and the relaunching of the modern-day university in its like.