My trip to Nalanda

When it was decided that we, my family and I, are going to Ranchi to visit our close relative there, I had made up my mind that I will go to Nalanda. I wanted to see, even if only in ruins, the world’s second oldest university. For family circumstances I had to go alone and my wife’s cousin had arranged a car for me along with an escort, as we will be going through forest areas that are considered unsafe. I went on this pilgrimage, yes, that is how I wanted to feel and indeed I felt, on Sunday, September 29^th, 2013. This post, even while focusing on the site of the ruins will talk about a few other things also.

The worst thing about the visit was the lack of directions even as close as 50 km from the site. There was truly no question of driving too fast to miss the sign boards as the roads and traffic ensured you would not miss signboards if only anyone cared to put it up. Add the fact that the driving time was judged at least one hour too short, this really sapped my strength. But, I had been told that the site can be covered in a leisurely manner in about two to two and a half hours, and as we reached before 2:00 PM, we were not pressed for time. This was the first good thing that happened that day (besides the photographs I had taken enroute of the “coal cycle wallahs” on which I had posted earlier).

The next best thing that happened was fixing the guide. Though my escort was a history major (and an LLB to boot) and said that he would explain everything, I was advised that a guide would be better. I am truly thankful for that advice, as the guide I fixed up, one Mr. Kamal Singh, turned out better than any guide I had ever fixed up at any tourist site anywhere. I was truly lucky. Indeed, by the time we finished the tour of the site, my escort himself was appreciating Mr. Singh nonstop, because he had an opportunity to carry on a meaningful discussion with Mr. Singh. He was that good. Not just that he had worked at the site for 15 years, he was also, it appeared, a true connoisseur of history of that place. The two went toe-to-toe and I watched them dance around the ring. It was most enjoyable, the side show.

At first, Mr. Singh went on in the typical tone of official guides. But, soon enough he found out I am going to be a different customer, he changed tack ever so smoothly. It became a question and answer tour for me and him, in that order, of course! What surprised me was not once did he mention B.C and A.D while giving dates or eras. It was always B.C.E or C.E (Common Era to substitute A.D, and Before Common Era for B.C.).I also use these terms but I may have slipped at a place or two; but he never did. I was truly impressed.

I do not want to explain the site in detail. Suffice it to say that it is truly impressive. You can learn the historical details from the following photograph.

So, the institution flourished over 700 years. Yes, Cambridge University has stood the test of time, from the 12^th century and going strong still. But, it did not have a Bakhtiyar Khilji to contend with (Adolf Hitler may not have come near enough to cause damage even as he was busy killing German physics!). Yet that does not take anything away from the greatness of Nalanda. Think of IITs in C.E 2650, and you will feel the weight of history of Nalanda.

Why did I bring in IITs? Because entry into Nalanda was equally heady stuff for those who got in, the guide told me and it is written elsewhere in the historian’s annals. The picture below is a class room. It is truly difficult to understand the site, because the Archeological Society of India (ASI) found layers upon layers of building, many going upwards as time progressed on the then existing plan.

The tall wall on one side of the class room was not that tall when the classroom was buzzing. So, you have to use your imagination to capture the essence of the place, across centuries. And, this, it looked to me, many visitors did not do. I heard many saying repeatedly, “Oh, how serene this place is!” I wanted to scream, “You dummies, when the university was operating, this would have been abuzz. Why don’t you imagine how much of a bee hive it would have been?” But, I was screaming within myself, the coward I am.

I remember the guide telling me that these were the granaries. That is not of much interest to me. But, what did interest me was these arches belonged to the very first years of the institution. Brick arches! And, the bricks that are there are the originals! That is like touching history. The gentleman to the right is Mr. Singh and the other one is my escort, Mr. Samir. I owe both of them huge thanks.

In an easy course during my undergraduate studies we learned of different patterns of laying bricks – the Flemish Bond, the English Bond and such. But, we never heard of a “corner brick”. For that we needed to have come to Nalanda! The brick in the center of the picture, at the corner of a wall is an “L” shaped brick of the time of construction! Take that the brick layers of Flemish and English Bonds!

This is one of the rooms in the dormitory. Most such rooms had a niche for books. Note the two flat slightly elevated surfaces on either side of Mr. Samir. These rooms were double occupancy,the larger one for the senior student and the smaller for the junior. Class difference in the first millennium in a place tracing itself back to the Buddha. As you go around the site, one sees many platforms for rituals. And, this is where the anguish that Mr. Singh must feel as he guides the tourists came out clearly. Without any prompt, he said most wistfully how he would have been happier without these platforms. After all, the Buddha did not establish any religion, and spurned rituals.

In one of the monasteries you find an octagonal well, so well preserved and so cleanly executed. I did ask about the significance of the octagonal form. The guide, to his everlasting credit, did not mention the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path. He merely pleaded ignorance.

The imposing structure anchors the site. You see three sets of stairs, each for a particular level. As I understand it, the edifice was constructed stage by stage and one on top of another as the lower went into disuse or needed to be enhanced. There are many places where there were large statues of the Buddha, the guide informed us. But what you see below, which could be a bas relief, is right next to this large building.

There is a museum and being crazy about museums, I spent some time there. The thing I remember most vividly is a small statuette of a Buddhist icon trampling an image of Lord Vigneshwar. The guide was quick to point out that the relationship between Buddhists and Hindus had reached the nadir in those times. And, he said it, again, thinking wistfully if only it had not been so. Perhaps the genocide in Sri Lanka might not have acquired a religious flavor. 

The return journey took an hour longer, for it was raining and also the truck traffic was heavy. All said, I reached home by 11:40 PM, and hit the bed fully contented and tired. I only wish I had had my wife beside me at Nalanda to enjoy the pleasures of past centuries.

Raghuram Ekambaram