The Pala dynasty established them in North-eastern
India in the 8th century and reigned until the 12th century.
Although they were
a Buddhist dynasty, Buddhism in their time was a mixture of the Mahayana practiced in Nalanda and Vajrayana, a Tantra - influenced version of
Mahayanist philosophy.
Nalanda was a cultural legacy from the great age
of Guptas and it was prized and cherished.
The Palas were prolific builders and their rule
oversaw the establishment of 4 (four) other Mahaviharas modeled on the Nalanda
Mahavihara –
1. Jagaddala
2. Odantpuri
3. Somapura and
4. Vikramshila respectively.
Remarkably, Odantpuri was founded by Gopal, the
progenitor of the royal line, only 6 miles (9.7 km) away from
Nalanda.
Dharmapal who founded the Mahavihara at Vikramashila, also
appears to have been a benefactor of the ancient monastery in some form.
It is however, Dharmapala's son, the 9th century
emperor and founder of the Mahavihara at Somapura, Devpal, who appears to have
been Nalanda's most distinguished patron in this age.
A number of metallic figures containing references
to Devapala have been found in its ruins as well as two notable
inscriptions.
The first, a Copper plate inscription unearthed
at Nalanda, details an endowment by the Shailendra King, Balaputradev of Suvarnadvipa
(Sumatra in modern-day Indonesia).
This Srivijayan king, "attracted by the manifold
excellences of Nalanda" had built a monastery there and had requested
Devapala to grant the revenue of five villages for its upkeep, a request which
was granted.
The
Ghosharam inscription is the other inscription from Devapala's time and
it mentions that he received and patronised a learned Vedic scholar named
Viradeva who was later elected the head of Nalanda.
5 seats
of learning during Palas are –
1.
Jagaddala,
2. Odantpuri
3. Somapura
4. Vikramshila and
5.
Nalanda.
These 5
(Five) different seats of Buddhist learning in eastern India formed a
state-supervised network and it was common for great scholars to move easily
from position to position among them.
Each establishment had its own official seal with a
Dharmchakra flanked by a deer on either side, a motif referring to Buddha's
deer park sermon at Sarnath (Mahaparinirvana place of Buddha).
Below this device was the name of the institution
which in Nalanda's case) read,
"Śrī-Nālandā-Mahāvihārīya-Ārya-Bhikṣusaḿghasya" which translates to
"of the Community of Venerable Monks of the Great Monastery at
Nalanda".
End of
Nalanda -
Nalanda
was ransacked and destroyed by an invader army of the Muslim (Mamluk
Dynasty) under Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1200 AD.
There is
a small town near Nalanda known as ‘Bakhtiyarpur’ the place of Bakhtiyar
Khilji.
Bakhtiyar Khilji and his army camped at this place and
burnt Nalanda Mahavihara.
It is
said that during winter season the invaders army boiled their water to bath and
day to day work from burning the books of the library of the Nalanda
Mahavihara.
It lasted for 6 months. One can see the burning signs even today.
Now
Bakhtiyarpur’ is famous for its sweets and edibles.
One type of sweet is known
as “Khaja” It has 2 types one is Sweet and other is Salt very testy and
light.
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