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Most Important Ancient Universities in India

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8 Most Important Ancient Universities in India

1. Nalanda University

The two most famous ancient universities of India and the oldest universities in the world are
Takshashila (Taxila) and Nalanda. Most of the questions asked on these two universities.

Nalanda is one of the well-known ancient universities of India. Nalanda is located in the Indian
state of Bihar, about 55 miles south-east of Patna, and was a Buddhist center of learning from
427 to 1197 CE. It has also been called and one of the first great universities in recorded history.
It a large Buddhist monastery in the ancient kingdom of Magadha (modern-day Bihar) in India.
At its peak, the university attracted scholars and students from as far away as China, Greece,
and Persia. Archaeological evidence also notes contact with the Shailendra dynasty of
Indonesia, one of whose kings built a monastery in the complex. However, it was later sacked
by Turkic Muslim invaders under Bakhtiyar Khalji in 1193, a milestone in the decline of
Buddhism in India.

 Nalanda University was established by Shakraditya of Gupta dynasty in modern Bihar

during the early 5th century and flourished for 600 years till the 12th century.
 The library of this university was the largest library of the ancient world and had
thousands of volumes of manuscripts on various subjects like grammar, logic, literature,
astrology, astronomy, and medicine.
 In 2010, the parliament of India passed a bill approving the plans to restore the ancient
Nalanda University as a modern Nalanda International University dedicated for post-
graduate research.
 Many East Asian countries including China, Singapore, and Japan have come forward to
fund the construction of this revived Nalanda University. According to the Kevatta Sutta,
in the Buddhas time, Nalanda was already an influential and prosperous town, thickly
populated, though it was not until later that it became the center of learning for which it
afterward became famous.
 Mahavira is several times mentioned as staying at Nalanda, which was evidently a
center of activity of the Jains.

2.Takshashila/ Taxila University

Ranked as the top tourist destination in Pakistan by The Guardian newspaper in 2006. Taxila or
Takshashila was an ancient capital city of the Buddhist kingdom of Gandhara and a center of
learning, what is now North-Western Pakistan. It is one of the most known Ancient universities
of India. Taxila was an early center of learning dating back to at least the 5th century BCE.
  It is considered a place of religious and historical sanctity by Hindus and Buddhists and
was the seat of Vedic learning where the emperor Chandragupta Maurya was taken
there by Chanakya to learn in the institution. The institution is very significant in
Buddhist tradition since it is believed that the Mahayana sect of Buddhism took shape
there.
 Takshashila is perhaps best known because of its association with Chanakya. The famous
treatise Arthashastra (Sanskrit for The knowledge of Economics) by Chanakya, is said to
have been composed in Takshashila itself. Chanakya (or) Kautilya the Maurya Emperor
Chandragupta and the Ayurvedic healer Charaka studied at Taxila.
 Generally, a student entered Takshashila at the age of sixteen. The Vedas and the
Eighteen Arts, which included skills such as archery, hunting, and elephant lore, were
taught, in addition to its law school, medical school, and school of military science.

3. Vikramashila University

Vikramashila was one of the two most important centers of Buddhist learning in India during
the Pala Empire. Vikramashila was established by King Dharmapala (783 to 820) in response to
a supposed decline in the quality of scholarship at Nalanda and flourished for 400 years till 12th
century until it was destroyed by the forces of Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khilji around 1200.
Atisha, the renowned Pandita, is sometimes listed as a notable abbot. Vikramashila (village
Antichak, district Bhagalpur, Bihar) is located at about 50 km east of Bhagalpur and about 13
km north-east of Kahalgaon, a railway station on Bhagalpur-Sahebganj section of Eastern
Railway.

 It is approachable through 11 km long motorable road diverting from NH-80 at Anadipur

about 2 km from Kahalgaon. Interestingly, it gave direct competition to Nalanda
University with over 100 teachers and over 1000 students listed in this University.
 This university was well known for its specialized training on the subject of Tantra
(Tantrism). One of the most popular graduates from this University was Atiśa Dipankara,
a founder of the Sharma traditions of Tibetan Buddhism who also revived the Buddhism
in Tibet.
 The remains of the ancient university have been partially excavated in Bhagalpur
district, Bihar state, India, and the process are still underway.

4.Valabhi University

Valabhi University was established in Saurashtra of modern Gujarat at around 6th century and
it flourished for 600 years till the 12th century. The University of Valabhi was an important
center of Buddhist learning and championed the cause of Hinayana Buddhism between 600 CE
and 1200 CE. Chinese traveler Itsing who visited this university during the 7th century describes
it as a great center of learning. For some time, the university was so good that it was even
considered to be a rival to Nalanda, in Bihar, in the field of education.

 Gunamati and Sthiramati, the two famous Buddhist scholars are said to have graduated
from this University.
 When Hiuen Tsiang (also known as Xuanzang) visited the university in the middle of the
7th century, there were more than 6000 monks studying in the place.

5.Somapura Mahavihara University

Somapura Mahavihara was established by Dharmapala of Pala dynasty during the late 8th
century in Bengal and flourished for 400 years till the 12th century. The University spread over
27 acres of land of which the main complex was 21 acres was one of the largest of its kind. It
was a major center of learning for Bauddha Dharma (Buddhism), Jina Dharma (Jainism) and
Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism). Even today one can find ornamental terracotta on its outer walls
depicting the influence of these three traditions. It is one of the largest and best known
Buddhist monasteries in the Indian subcontinent with the complex itself covering more than 20
acres, almost a million square feet (85,000 sq. meters).

 Excavations show that it was built by the second Pala king, Dharmapala, around 781-821
AD. This comes from clay seals with inscriptions that were discovered.
 It is one of the five great mahaviharas, or monasteries, which were established in
ancient Bengal during the Pala period.
 The importance of Somapura Mahavihara has resulted in its being included in the
UNESCO World Heritage List. Today it is one of the prime tourist destinations in
Bangladesh

6.Jagaddala Mahavihara University

Jagaddala Mahavihara was a Buddhist monastery and seat of learning in Varendra, a

geographical unit in present north Bengal in Bangladesh. It was founded by the later kings of
the Pāla dynasty, famously believed to be King Ramapala (c. 1077-1120), which was the largest
construction works undertaken by the Pala Kings.

 Jagaddala specialized in Vajrayana Buddhism.

 A large number of texts that would later appear in the Kanjur and Tengjur were known
to have been composed or copied at Jagadala.
 It is likely that the earliest dated anthology of Sanskrit verse, the Subhāṣitaratnakoṣa,
was compiled by Vidyākara at Jaggadala toward the end of the 11th century or the
beginning of the 12th.
  In 1999 Jaggadala was submitted as a tentative site for inclusion on the list of UNESCO
World Heritage sites.

7.Odantapuri University

Ancient Odantapuri University Ruins located on Hiranya Prabat in Bihar sarif is also known as
odantpura vihar or odantapuri Buddhist mahavira. Founded in the 8th century by emperor
Gopala of Pala Dynasty, it flourished for 400 years till the 12th century. It was basically one of
the sixth universities in ancient India established primarily for the purpose of propagating
Buddhist learning and teachings. Apart from this, It is also regarded as the second oldest
university after Nalanda established in ancient times. It is comparatively a lesser known
important tourist destination in Bihar as we still know little about this place.

 Acharya Sri Ganga who used to be a student of Vikramshila university was a professor at
the Vikramashila University was a graduate of this Odantapuri University as later on he
joined Odantapuri and regarded as one of the famous alumni of this university.
 In 1193 AD when Notorious Muslim Turkish invader Bhakhtiyar Khilji found this
university, he mistakenly believed it as a fortress due to its long walls and ordered his
army to destroy it.
 Ancient Tibetan texts mention this as one among the five great Universities of its time,
the other four being Vikramashila, Nalanda, Somapura and Jagaddala Universities – all
located in ancient India.

8. Pushpagiri University

Pushpagiri University was a prominent seat of learning that flourished until the 11th century in
India. Today, its ruins lie atop the Langudi hills, low hills about 90 km from the Mahanadi delta,
in the districts of Jajpur and Cuttack in Orissa. The actual university campus, spread across three
hilltops, contained several stupas, monasteries, temples, and sculptures in the architectural
style of the Gupta period.

 The Kelua river, a tributary of the Brahmani river of Orissa flows to the northeast of
Langudi hills and must have provided a picturesque background for the university.
 The entire university is distributed across three campuses on top of the three adjoining
hills, Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri, and Udayagiri.
 Recently a few images of Emperor Ashoka have been discovered here, and it has been
suggested that the Pushpagiri University was established by Emperor Ashoka himself.
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