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Nalanda was one of the oldest universities of the world and a revered center of learning. It was located in Magadha, modern day Bihar, India and was operational between c. 300-1200 CE. It received patronage from the Gupta Empire and also King Harshavardhana (c. 590–647 CE). The university’s library consisted of three large buildings, namely Ratnasagara ("Ocean of Jewels"), Ratnodadhi ("Sea of Jewels") and Ratnaranjaka ("Adorned with Jewels"). Ratnodadhi was a nine storey high edifice and housed priceless manuscripts of Buddhist and Brahmanical studies. Apart from the locals, students from Tibet, China, Central Asia, and Korea used to visit the place to quench their thirst for knowledge. Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang, 602–664 CE) and Yijing (I Tsing, 635–713 CE) also visited the Nalanda spent years there.
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APA Style
Anandajoti. (2015, October 27). Stairway, Nalanda. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/4154/stairway-nalanda/
Chicago Style
Anandajoti. "Stairway, Nalanda." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified October 27, 2015. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/4154/stairway-nalanda/.
MLA Style
Anandajoti. "Stairway, Nalanda." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 27 Oct 2015. Web. 25 Mar 2025.
