Nalanda, the famous 5th century AD town of India, was one of the most important centers of Buddhist learning. Located at just 12 km from Rajgir and 60 km from Bodhgaya, Nalanda was world-famous for its monastic university. The Buddha had visited Nalanda several times during his lifetime. Nalanda is now a small village and forms an important Buddhist Circuit along with Bodhgaya and Rajgir.

Nalanda emerged as an important center of Buddhist learning between the 5th and 12th centuries AD. Hiuen Tsang, the great Chinese traveler and scholar, visited Nalanda University in 632 AD and stayed there for 12 years, both as student and teacher. He has given a detailed account of the Nalanda University, describing the perfect education system and chastity practiced in monastic life at Nalanda. Nalanda was also the first residential international university of the world with strength of 2,000 teachers and 10,000 monks' students from the Buddhist countries, especially from East Asia. There are several Buddhist attractions near Nalanda, which have important associations with lord Buddha and his disciples. Sailo, a small village at just 3 km from Nalanda, is the place where lord Buddha met and converted Maha Kassapa, who later became his successor. Kul (old Kolita), a small village at only 2 km from Nalanda, is the birthplace of Moggalana, one of the two chief disciples of lord Buddha.

Among the most interesting attractions of Nalanda are the extensive ruins of Nalanda University, housing the huge Temple with its calved panels. Nalanda Archaeological Museum, located opposite to it, has a valuable collection of Buddhist and Hindu bronze images and artifacts and a number of intact statues of the Lord Buddha, found from the area.

Two large terracotta jars belonging to the 1st century AD are intact and exhibited in a shaded enclosure behind the museum. The other items in the museum include the copper plates, stone inscriptions, coins, pottery and samples of burnt rice of 12th century AD. Visit Nalanda and discover the ruins of the greatest ancient Buddhist learning center. Tours to Nalanda promises to be an exciting and rewarding experience for you.

Other important attractions worth visiting on Nalanda Tours are Nava Nalanda Maha Vihara, Hiuen Tsang Memorial Hall, Silao and Surajpur Baragaon.

How to Reach Patna (89 km) is the nearest airport from Nalanda. Rajgir (12 km) is the nearest major town from Nalanda, which is well connected by rail and road network. The village has a good network of roads that connects it to the other towns and cities of Bihar.

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