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Summer Project On Nalanda

Nalanda was an ancient center of learning located in Bihar, India from the 5th to 12th century CE. It operated as a Buddhist monastery and university that had over 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers at its peak. The university had a massive library called the Dharma Gunj that was destroyed by invaders in the 13th century. Nalanda influenced Buddhism and had many famous scholars study and teach there, including Xuanzang. The architecture featured thick brick structures, temples, meditation halls, and hostels built in the Kushan style. Two traditional textile art forms from the area, Sujuni embroidery and Khatwa applique, take motifs inspired by Nalanda

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164 views8 pages

Summer Project On Nalanda

Nalanda was an ancient center of learning located in Bihar, India from the 5th to 12th century CE. It operated as a Buddhist monastery and university that had over 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers at its peak. The university had a massive library called the Dharma Gunj that was destroyed by invaders in the 13th century. Nalanda influenced Buddhism and had many famous scholars study and teach there, including Xuanzang. The architecture featured thick brick structures, temples, meditation halls, and hostels built in the Kushan style. Two traditional textile art forms from the area, Sujuni embroidery and Khatwa applique, take motifs inspired by Nalanda

Uploaded by

nidhisanjeet
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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NALANDA UNIVERSITY

(SEA OF KNOWLEDGE)
Submitted By- Aman Kumar
(Based on a visit to Nalanda University)
INTRODUCTION

Monks in Nalanda
Nalanda was a small village nearby city of Rajagriha (modern Rajgir) in Bihar, which
was then the capital of Magadha. Buddha was said to have delivered lectures in a
nearby forest named Pravarik and one of his two chief disciples, Shariputra, born in
Nalanda.
Nalanda was the first international university of the world, having 10,000 students and
2000 faculty. It was found in the 5th century A.D. by the Gupta Empire, known as the
ancient sea of learning.

Root Map of Nalanda

HISTORY OF NALANDA
The term Nalanda was derived from the combination of three Sanskrit words
Na+Alam+Daa, which meant no stopping of the gift of knowledge. Nalanda was a
great Monastery-cum educational institution for oriental art and learning from the 5 th
century to 1200 CE and Nalanda was a great center of Buddhist learning in ancient
times
In 1200 A.D.Islamic zealots led by Bhaktiyar Khilji destroyed the Nalanda University
completely.

FAMOUS FACTS ABOUT NALANDA

The MIGHTY Library -The library of the Nalanda University was known as
Dharma Gunj, the meaning of Dharma gunj was the Mountain of Truth. It took
about 3-6 months for it to burn down completely. There were thousands of books
from different fields like Science, Astronomy, Medicine, Logic, Hindu Scriptures,
Buddhist, and Jain literature

Influence on Buddhism-It is mainly influenced by the Tibetan Buddhism culture,


majority of students and teachers follow Buddhism.

The entire range of world knowledge was

available in Nalanda, like

Buddhist & Jain, Sacred & Secular, Foreign & Native, Science, Astronomy,
Metaphysics, Philosophy, Samkhya, Yoga Shastra, the Vedas, and the
Scriptures of Buddhism etc.

SCHOLARS OF NALANDA

Mahavira and Buddha both visited Nalanda in 5 th and 6th century B.C. . It is
also the place of birth and nirvana of shariputra , one of the famous disciples of
Buddha.

Xuanzang (Hieun-Tsang) visited Nalanda in the 7th century B.C., stayed for 3
years and left a vivid account of the curriculum and of the general features of the
community.

Some other scholars and historical figures of note associated with Nalanda are
Aryabhata, Dinnaga-the founder of Buddhist logic, Nagarjuna-formaliser of the
concept of Shunyata.

ARCHITECT OF NALANDA

structure of ventilation- The architect designed the ventilation of rooms in such


a way that fresh air circulates inside all the time.

All the eight separate compounds & 10 temples, meditation halls, classrooms,
hostels, lecture halls, lakes and parks built in Kushan Architectural style

. Most of the structure of Nalanda built with the special type of bricks and the
walls are very thick and strong.

The architect of Nalanda was richly carved, painted and ornamented. A number
of monasteries were built close to each other.

Thick Bricks structure

Meditation Sites

Stupa Site-3

Monastery ruins

Floral Motifs

Motifs on Temple Walls

TEXTILE INSPIRED FROM MOTIFS OF NALANDA


There are two types of textiles inspired from the motifs of nalanda like

Sujuni
Khatwa

SUJUNI- It is mainly a embroidery work, which uses a running stitch and the motifs
which are commonly used are Buddhist motifs.

Sujuni floral motif work

Sujuni floral motif work

KHATWA- Khatwa is mainly the applied technique work. Only the waste and torn
clothes were used to make motifs. Khatwa has gained much appreciation from the
patrons of art.

Khatwa floral work

Khatwa wok

CONCLUSION
In order to understand the significance and cultural uniqueness of Nalanda university,
one need to explore the various aspects of Nalanda universititys motifs, architech and
their culatureof ancient history. Nalanda universityalways inspired the forms and
designs of sujuni and khatawa. But unfortunately it is dying. As a moral responsibility to
our countrys indigenous art forms, we as designers, must take pride and attempt to
preserve it or interpret it to todays modern world before it is lost forever.

Bibliography
(2008, september). Retrieved august 2015, from maps.google:
http://www.touristplacesinindia.com/nalanda/images/nalanda-district-map.gif

Nalanda-onthemove. (2011). Retrieved august 2015, from google.com: Nalandaonthemove.blogspot.com


arora, n. (2007, august). in the light of nalanda.
Gowswami, R. (2015, august). Tourist guide of nalanda university. (Aman,
Interviewer)

NALANDA UNIVERSITY
SEA OF KNOWLEDGE
SUBMITED BY- AMAN KUMAR
UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF MANISH BHARGAV

DEPARTMENT OF TEXTILE
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY
GANDHINAGAR

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