Death of a University

I come from a land which had the world's first residential International university called Nalanda as early as 5th Century AD. Eventhough being a major Buddhist school, it did teach some ancient vedic texts including astronomy , astrology, science and medicine. Today there is no reputed University in India which exist that attracts international students unlike the reputed Harvard which was started sometime as late as1636.

Nalanda was true to the conventional term of University compared to other so called oldest Universities which were pure religious schools taught in relgious places of worship. Destruction of Nalanda was one among the many losses of this land, subjected to muslim Invasion of the Mughals, not to mention the destruction of so many buddhist monastries and hindu temples and the carnage of rape and destruction which is uncomparable to holocaust. For the invasion ripped through from North to South for 10 centuries compared to the 4 destructive years of the holocaust of the Jews.

There were no degrees offered, no competition or grades but purely a place to learn, seek and share Knowledge which is now lost, buried and forgot. The invasion probably destroyed it suspecting as a fort or a temple of idolatory worship, eventhough am surprised unlike hindu temples buddhist monastries dont have any form of idols and that should have been common sense but again only humans have them. One possible reason could be the fanatic nature of believing other texts even if it be of science and non-religious to be against the word of 'ONE God' and thus infidel in nature.

Concept of Sangha could have been the very reasons for foundation of Nalanda. eventhough residential Gurukulams of vedic teachings existed even prior to the same, they cannot be strictly called as an University for it was only privelaged to a few and it required other qualifications unlike Nalanda whose gates were open for the seeker of knowledge and house of scholarly work.

Will this country ever build another Nalanda unmatched ? Mere military and economic strength cannot create it eventhough the need of which is established to prevent another destruction . When Dharma is protected it inturn protects, until India learns this truth and stands by this ancient wisdom, it will lose its uniqueness and voice, however economically and mighty it becomes. Has india learnt? maybe we can ask Kashmiri pundits who may have an answer