Nalanda
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GAUTAM G
Moscow, Russia318 contributions
Jan 2019 • Family
So, this is really famous, it costs around Rs 40 per head to get inside the ruins of the university. It's a good idea to get a guide as the place is massive and you'll be roaming without much understanding. Guides usually are govt appointed and can be found just outside the ruins gate.
The place is really amazing and to a certain extent has been maintained well, the govt has done a great job in maintaining the massive gardens . There are enough boards to explain the monuments. Many Thai, Japanese tourists can be found here.
You can finish this place. In about 2 odd hours with a guide. Get yourself a hat as it gets really sunny and warm here.
Resist from shopping outside as it's a complete waste of money with actually worthless trinkets. Also ensure you get a car for a fill day as traveling around is tough without a dedicated vehicle.
The place is really amazing and to a certain extent has been maintained well, the govt has done a great job in maintaining the massive gardens . There are enough boards to explain the monuments. Many Thai, Japanese tourists can be found here.
You can finish this place. In about 2 odd hours with a guide. Get yourself a hat as it gets really sunny and warm here.
Resist from shopping outside as it's a complete waste of money with actually worthless trinkets. Also ensure you get a car for a fill day as traveling around is tough without a dedicated vehicle.
Written December 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Subra A
Pune, India136 contributions
Feb 2020
Nalanda was quite interesting although tiresome, coming from Gaya or Bodh Gaya.
The car journey took about 4 hours from Bodh Gaya. It takes one through some rolling hills that are panoramic. There is a nice Shanti Supa on the way on top of a hill with a statue of Lord Buddha. One also passes through Rajgir, which was a great seat of learning prior to 5th century AD. The Nalanda University campus that seems to have existed till 12th Century for about 1500 years was completely destroyed by the invaders from West Asia, much like the Bamian statues of Buddha more recently.
What is left is maintained by the Archaeological Society of India very nicely. It is a great place to spend about 1-2 hours contemplating about the age gone by. It also shows a high degree of aesthetic taste on the part of the Buddhist Monastic order.
The car journey took about 4 hours from Bodh Gaya. It takes one through some rolling hills that are panoramic. There is a nice Shanti Supa on the way on top of a hill with a statue of Lord Buddha. One also passes through Rajgir, which was a great seat of learning prior to 5th century AD. The Nalanda University campus that seems to have existed till 12th Century for about 1500 years was completely destroyed by the invaders from West Asia, much like the Bamian statues of Buddha more recently.
What is left is maintained by the Archaeological Society of India very nicely. It is a great place to spend about 1-2 hours contemplating about the age gone by. It also shows a high degree of aesthetic taste on the part of the Buddhist Monastic order.
Written March 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
emanurag
Bengaluru, India214 contributions
Apr 2011 • Friends
this place has a very big importance in the History of education in India.
its famous for the Erstwhile Nalanda University, which is considered one of the ancient of its types ever.
with students coming from different parts of the world.
its famous for the Erstwhile Nalanda University, which is considered one of the ancient of its types ever.
with students coming from different parts of the world.
Written November 12, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mdsamirkhan
Mumbai28 contributions
Oct 2011 • Couples
Nalanda name world famous because of its University worlds 1st univ made in 500 BC
whoever visits Bihar they comes to see the Nalanda University
now Bihar govt planning to rebuilt this university.
this University is nearby Patna which is capital of Bihar
whoever visits Bihar they comes to see the Nalanda University
now Bihar govt planning to rebuilt this university.
this University is nearby Patna which is capital of Bihar
Written January 25, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
VaranasiDayTours
Varanasi, India340 contributions
Oct 2015 • Business
Towards the Southeast of Patna, the Capital City of Bihar State in India, is a village called the 'Bada Gaon', in the vicinity of which, are the world famous ruins of Nalanda University.
Founded in the 5th Century A.D., Nalanda is known as the ancient seat of learning. 2,000 Teachers and 10,000 Students from all over the Buddhist world lived and studied at Nalanda, the first Residential International University of the World.
A walk in the ruins of the university, takes you to an era, that saw India leading in imparting knowledge, to the world - the era when India was a coveted place for studies. The University flourished during the 5th and 12th century.
Founded in the 5th Century A.D., Nalanda is known as the ancient seat of learning. 2,000 Teachers and 10,000 Students from all over the Buddhist world lived and studied at Nalanda, the first Residential International University of the World.
A walk in the ruins of the university, takes you to an era, that saw India leading in imparting knowledge, to the world - the era when India was a coveted place for studies. The University flourished during the 5th and 12th century.
Written January 15, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
nishitpande
Houston, TX22 contributions
Dec 2011 • Friends
We visited Nalanda heritage site in December 2011 while visiting Patna and Gaya. The place is easily assessable from Patna. One can rent a cab for a two day trip covering other sites such as Bodh Gaya, Rajgir and Pawapuri for as low as INR 4000 inclusive of all taxes.
Nalanda stood up for the grand university it was with beautiful restored temple complexes, auditoriums and residential area. The place is well maintained (surprising for me) and guides are available in all languages.
Refreshments are available outside the complex and public conveniences are located inside the walled complex. I was amazed at the grandeur and legacy that ancient Magadha empire was. A must see for photo enthusiasts and travel bloggers.
One down side is that there are no places to stay near by so either you go back to Patna or continue the journey to Bodh Gaya/Rajgir for the night.
Nalanda stood up for the grand university it was with beautiful restored temple complexes, auditoriums and residential area. The place is well maintained (surprising for me) and guides are available in all languages.
Refreshments are available outside the complex and public conveniences are located inside the walled complex. I was amazed at the grandeur and legacy that ancient Magadha empire was. A must see for photo enthusiasts and travel bloggers.
One down side is that there are no places to stay near by so either you go back to Patna or continue the journey to Bodh Gaya/Rajgir for the night.
Written January 2, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jnrobin
Indore, India509 contributions
Aug 2011
I was always very much excited about the place - NALANDA. I had heard the name since I was a child in the history books, from my grand parents. Everybody knew it was a magnificent university. This made me proud of the fact, India was a source of knowledge in those years. I always wondered how it would be and wanted to go and visit it.
During my visit to other Jain temples around Rajgir, I insisted my family to go to Nalanda as well. As it is close to Rajgir, so we could easily plan for it.
We hired a guide at the entrance, I think without a guide it does not make much sense to roam around and wonder what this place could have been.
The guide showed us about the classrooms, monasteries locations. The main building has different excavations which was made in different years. As per the guides information, Religion was the primary valuable aspect of the teachings at Nalanda. Students use to come from other countries to gain knowledge here.
It took around 2 hours to see it, then we proceeded to the Archeological Museum which is located opposite to this site. It contains mainly the statues and material found at the site during the excavations.
Overall, I liked the place very much and I would recommend it the person having interest in historical sites and who wish to gain more knowledge about the Ancient India.
During my visit to other Jain temples around Rajgir, I insisted my family to go to Nalanda as well. As it is close to Rajgir, so we could easily plan for it.
We hired a guide at the entrance, I think without a guide it does not make much sense to roam around and wonder what this place could have been.
The guide showed us about the classrooms, monasteries locations. The main building has different excavations which was made in different years. As per the guides information, Religion was the primary valuable aspect of the teachings at Nalanda. Students use to come from other countries to gain knowledge here.
It took around 2 hours to see it, then we proceeded to the Archeological Museum which is located opposite to this site. It contains mainly the statues and material found at the site during the excavations.
Overall, I liked the place very much and I would recommend it the person having interest in historical sites and who wish to gain more knowledge about the Ancient India.
Written September 28, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Manabesh Hota
Gurugram (Gurgaon), India171 contributions
Oct 2014 • Family
Nalanda still beckons the remains of this residential school of bygone eras. But it is not just the remnants of a great institution that Nalanda offers to its visitors. A must visit .
Written February 24, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kajal N
Kolkata (Calcutta), India153 contributions
Dec 2014 • Family
Last year December i.e. December'14 I along with my family members went Nalanda. It is a glorious past of our country.
Nalanda – was a large Buddhist monastery in ancient Magadha – presently at Bihar, India. The site is located about 95 kilometres from Patna – the capital city of Bihar. Tha Nalanda University was a centre of learning from the fifth century. It flourished under the patronage of the Gupta Empire and later the rulers of the Paul Empire. At its peak, the school attracted scholars and students from Tibet, China, Korea, and other parts of Central Asia. Historian says that Nalanda was destroyed by an army of the Muslim Mamluk Dynasty under Bakhtiyar Khilji.
The place is well maintained under ASI. Good to visit and be proud of our ancient history.
Nalanda – was a large Buddhist monastery in ancient Magadha – presently at Bihar, India. The site is located about 95 kilometres from Patna – the capital city of Bihar. Tha Nalanda University was a centre of learning from the fifth century. It flourished under the patronage of the Gupta Empire and later the rulers of the Paul Empire. At its peak, the school attracted scholars and students from Tibet, China, Korea, and other parts of Central Asia. Historian says that Nalanda was destroyed by an army of the Muslim Mamluk Dynasty under Bakhtiyar Khilji.
The place is well maintained under ASI. Good to visit and be proud of our ancient history.
Written February 14, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SIDM0072002
New Delhi1 contribution
Myself and some of my friends went to Patna to witness one of our friends marriage. And we had ample time there, so we decided to visit some interesting places nearby.
We thought of a days trip to Nalanda and Rajgirh, which are historical as well as religious places.
Trip started from Nalanda, which is renowned for its University during Gupta period. The relics depict the planning and construction materials as well as methodology of building construction of that period when Hieun Tsang came from china to visit india.
The atmosphere was different and reaching there it felt like we have lost the modern world. Immediately some feeling of different sort filled the minds and we watched the dilapidated structure with awe. We were fascinated with the drainage system, aesthetics, planning and other aspects of Nalanda.
There is a museum also side by which restores the samples of historic importance. It was worth visiting such a place and untouched by modern hurries of life.
After that we proceeded towards Rajgirh known for a Buddhist Monastery on the top of a hill. We reached there after a cable ride which was very thrilling. the car rode over the forest and rocky terrain. the monastery was filled with solace and a typical buddhist culture could be sensed. the mind was one with the nature...........The sculpture of the monastery is awesome, there are 4-6 statues of Lord Buddha in different poses. the bells gong and some buddhist songs/prayer could be heard.
It is a lovely place for photography and also for introspection for those who are inclined to such ideas.
overall the trip was fruitful and it took almost the whole day. on the way back to patna we also went to the hot spring(sahasra dhara) at some place whose name i do not remember now.
It was a memorable journey and this time planning to visit Vaishali and Gaya.................hopefully to get a different experience.
We thought of a days trip to Nalanda and Rajgirh, which are historical as well as religious places.
Trip started from Nalanda, which is renowned for its University during Gupta period. The relics depict the planning and construction materials as well as methodology of building construction of that period when Hieun Tsang came from china to visit india.
The atmosphere was different and reaching there it felt like we have lost the modern world. Immediately some feeling of different sort filled the minds and we watched the dilapidated structure with awe. We were fascinated with the drainage system, aesthetics, planning and other aspects of Nalanda.
There is a museum also side by which restores the samples of historic importance. It was worth visiting such a place and untouched by modern hurries of life.
After that we proceeded towards Rajgirh known for a Buddhist Monastery on the top of a hill. We reached there after a cable ride which was very thrilling. the car rode over the forest and rocky terrain. the monastery was filled with solace and a typical buddhist culture could be sensed. the mind was one with the nature...........The sculpture of the monastery is awesome, there are 4-6 statues of Lord Buddha in different poses. the bells gong and some buddhist songs/prayer could be heard.
It is a lovely place for photography and also for introspection for those who are inclined to such ideas.
overall the trip was fruitful and it took almost the whole day. on the way back to patna we also went to the hot spring(sahasra dhara) at some place whose name i do not remember now.
It was a memorable journey and this time planning to visit Vaishali and Gaya.................hopefully to get a different experience.
Written December 8, 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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