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Nalanda
About this site
Nalanda was the greatest Buddhist university in history, founded in the 5th century CE and attracting scholars from across Asia for over 700 years. At its height it housed over 10,000 monks and students and contained one of the largest libraries of the ancient world. Nagarjuna, Chandrakirti, Dharmakirti, and Shantarakshita all studied or taught here. The Tibetan Buddhist intellectual tradition traces its philosophical roots directly to Nalanda. The extensive ruins — brick temples, monasteries, and stupas — are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A nearby modern Nalanda university has been re-established. For practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism, visiting Nalanda is an act of homage to the source of the philosophical and contemplative tradition one has inherited.
Practical information
How to get there
95 km from Patna. Train to Rajgir or Bakhtiyarpur, then local bus or taxi. Also day-trip from Bodh Gaya.
- Train or fly to Patna, then bus or taxi to Nalanda (95km, 2hrs).|Or combine with Rajgir — only 12km from Nalanda.|Day trip possible from Bodh Gaya — hire a car for Bodh Gaya–Nalanda–Rajgir circuit.
Best times to visit
spring:18-36°C:ok|summer:30-42°C:avoid|autumn:18-34°C:ok|winter:8-26°C:best
Pilgrim tips & photos
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