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Odantapuri
Odantapuri (also called Odantapura or Uddandapura) was a prominent Buddhist Mahavihara in what is now Bihar Sharif in Bihar, India. It is believed to have been established by the Pala ruler Gopala I in the 8th century. It is considered the second oldest of India's Mahaviharas after Nalanda and was situated in Magadha. Inscriptional evidence also indicates that the Mahavihara was supported by local Buddhist kings like the Pithipatis of Bodh Gaya. The ''vihara'' fell in decline in the 11th century, and was looted and destroyed by Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji, a Turkic Muslim invader in the late 1100s, when he launched multiple raids on Bihar and adjoining territories. Location Joseph David Beglar first identified the city of Bihar (Bihar Sharif) with Odantapuri; as the city used to be called ''Bihar Dandi'' or ''Dand Bihar'', which is a contraction of ''Dandpur Bihar'' (derived from "Dandpura Vihara"). A small brass image of Buddha's birth mother Mahamaya, bearing a voti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bihar Sharif
Bihar Sharif is the headquarters of Nalanda district and the fifth-largest sub-metropolitan area in the eastern Indian state of Bihar. Its name is a combination of two words: ''Bihar'', derived from '' vihara'' (meaning monastery), also the name of the state; and ''Sharif'' (meaning ''noble''). The city is a hub of education and trade in southern Bihar, and the economy centers around agriculture supplemented by tourism, the education sector and household manufacturing. The ruins of the ancient Nalanda Mahavihara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are located near the city. Under the Pala Empire, Odantapuri, a major Buddhist monastic university was built at the site of Bihar Sharif. In the early 14th century, the city was captured by the Delhi Sultanate. Bihar Sharif was later ruled by other Muslim dynasties and then by the British until Indian independence in 1947. The city has important Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim heritage sites and landmarks. Bihar Sharif is one of the one hundred ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Muhammad Bin Bakhtiyar Khalji
Ikhtiyār al-Dīn Muḥammad Bin Bakhtiyār Khaljī, also known as Bakhtiyar Khalji, was a Turko-Afghan Military General of the Ghurid ruler Muhammad of Ghor, who led the Muslim conquests in the Indian subcontinent, Muslim conquests of the eastern Indian regions of Bengal and parts of Bihar and established himself as their deputy-ruler/governor, He was the founder of the Khalji dynasty of Bengal, ruling Bengal for a short period, from 1203 to 1227 CE. Khalji's invasions of the Indian subcontinent between A.D. 1197 and 1206 led to mass flight and massacres of monks, and caused damage to the traditional Buddhist institutions of higher learning in Northern India. In Bengal, Khalji's reign was responsible for the displacement of Buddhism. The leading centre of teaching for Mahayana Buddhism was Nalanda mahavihara, Nalanda. At the end of the 12th century, Bakhityar Khalji demolished the monastery in a brutal sacking . His rule is said to have begun the Muslim rule in India, Muslim r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mahavihara
Mahavihara () is the Sanskrit and Pali term for a great vihara (centre of learning or Buddhist monastery) and is used to describe a monastic complex of viharas. Mahaviharas of India A range of monasteries grew up in ancient Magadha (modern Bihar) and Bengal. According to Tibetan sources, five great mahaviharas stood out during the Pāla period: Vikramashila, the premier university of the era; Nalanda, past its prime but still illustrious, Somapura, Odantapurā, and Jaggadala. The five monasteries formed a network; "all of them were under state supervision" and there existed "a system of co-ordination among them . . it seems from the evidence that the different seats of Buddhist learning that functioned in eastern India under the Pāla were regarded together as forming a network, an interlinked group of institutions," and it was common for great scholars to move easily from position to position among them. Nalanda The famous Nalanda Mahavihara was founded a few centuries earli ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vikramashila
Vikramashila ( IAST: ) was a Buddhist monastery situated in what is now modern-day Bihar in India. It was founded by King Dharmapala between the late eighth and early ninth century. It was one of the three most important Buddhist Mahaviharas of its time in India, along with Nalanda and Odantapuri. Its location is now the site of Antichak village near Kahalgaon, Bhagalpur district in Bihar. It was one of the largest Buddhist mahaviharas, with more than one hundred teachers and about one thousand students. It produced eminent scholars who were often invited by foreign countries to spread Buddhist learning, culture and religion including Atiśa and Ratnākaraśānti. Vikramashila was established by the Pala emperor Dharmapala (783 to 820 CE) in response to a supposed decline in the quality of scholarship at Nalanda. It was destroyed by the forces of Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji around 1193. History A number of monasteries grew up during the Pāla period in medieva ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pala Empire
The Pāla Empire was the empire ruled by the Pala dynasty, ("protector" in Sanskrit) a medieval Indian dynasty which ruled the kingdom of Gauda Kingdom, Gauda. The empire was founded with the election of Gopala, Gopāla by the chiefs of Kingdom of Gauda, Gauda in late eighth century CE. The Pala stronghold was located in Bengal and eastern Bihar, which included the major cities of Gauḍa (city), Gauḍa, Bikrampur, Vikramapura, Pataliputra, Pāṭaliputra, Munger, Monghyr, Somapura, Ramavati (Varendra), Tamralipta, Tāmralipta and Jaggadala, Jagaddala. The Pālas were astute diplomats and military conquerors. Their army was noted for its vast war elephant corps. Their navy performed both mercantile and defensive roles in the Bay of Bengal. At its zenith under emperors Dharmapala (emperor), Dharmapala and Devapala (Pala dynasty), Devapala in the early ninth century, the Pala empire was the dominant power in the northern Indian subcontinent, with its territory stretching across ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nalanda
Nalanda (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: , ) was a renowned Buddhism, Buddhist ''mahavihara'' (great monastery) in medieval Magadha (Mahajanapada), Magadha (modern-day Bihar), eastern India. Widely considered to be among the greatest Ancient higher-learning institutions, centres of learning in the ancient world and often referred to as "the world's first residential university", it was located near the city of Rajagriha (now Rajgir), roughly southeast of Pataliputra (now Patna). Operating for almost a thousand years from 427 CE until around 1400 CE, Nalanda mahavihara played a vital role in promoting the patronage of arts, culture and academics during the 5th and 6th century CE, a period that has since been described as the "Golden Age of India" by scholars. Nalanda was established by emperor Kumaragupta I of the Gupta Empire around 427 CE, and was supported by numerous Indian and Javanese patrons – both Buddhists and non-Buddhists. Nalanda continue ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nalanda College, Biharsharif
Nalanda College, Biharsharif is a college in Bihar Sharif, the district headquarters of Nalanda District in Bihar state, India. It is a constituent unit of Patliputra University. It was established in 1870, and is one of the oldest colleges of north India. Its catchment area includes nearby villages and small towns in Bihar Sharif. The Government of India issued stamps with its picture in 1970 to mark its centenary. This college offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in science, commerce and arts. History Bihar Sharif Nalanda College was founded by Canto Singh, a landlord in Bihar. He had granted 8.7 acres of land for the college. To remember his contribution, his statue is standing in the campus. The college was built in the area having the remains of an ancient fort, which is believed to have been a part of Odantapuri university. The college was initially under the jurisdiction of the University of Calcutta. Later, it came under Bihar University, and finally under M ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Devapala (Pala Dynasty)
Devapala ( ''Devapāla'') (c. 9th century) also known as Srimān Devapālah Harshahva, was the successor of Dharmapala and the third emperor of the Pala Empire. The Pāla Empire was at its peak of power and prosperity under the reign of Devapala. He was known to be the Overlord of Aryavarta. Reign Devapala was the third king in the line, and had succeeded his father Dharamapala. His mother was Rannadevi, a Rashtrakuta princess. Earlier historians considered Devapala as a nephew of Dharmapala, based on the Bhagalpur copper plate of Narayanapala, which mentions Devapala as Jayapala's ''purvajabhrata'' (interpreted as "elder brother"). Jayapala is mentioned as the son of Dharmapala's brother Vakpala in multiple Pala inscriptions. However, the discovery of the Munger (Monghyr) copper inscription changed this view. This particular inscription clearly describes Devapala as the son of Dharmapala. Based on the different interpretations of the various epigraphs and historical ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gopala I
Gopala () (ruled 750–768 CE) was the founder of the Pala dynasty, which was based in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. The last morpheme of his name ''Pala'' means "protector" and was used as an ending for the names of all the Pala monarchs. Pala does not suggest or indicate any ethnic or caste considerations of the Pala dynasty. He came to power in later half of eighth century AD in ''Bengal'' after being elected by a group of regional chieftains. Origins There are no inscriptions or monuments which may be definitely ascribed to the period of Gopala's ascendency to throne. He is known through the later literary references and genealogies in inscriptions. According to the Manjusrimulakalpa, after the end of the Gupta rule in Bengal, people elected Bhadra. He destroyed the Brahmana feudal lords, but anarchy still prevailed. After this, Gopala became king. He was of menial caste (dasajivinah). Manjusrimulakalpa was quite near in time to the establishment of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dharmapala (emperor)
Dharmapala was the second Pala emperor of Bengal ( Vangala) in the Indian subcontinent. He was the son and successor of Gopala, the founder of the Pala dynasty. Dharmapala was mentioned as the King of Vangala (''Vangapati'') in the Nesari plates (dated 805 AD) of Rashtrakuta dynasty. He greatly expanded the boundaries of the empire and made the Palas a dominant power in the northern and eastern India. Dharmapala directly ruled over the present-day Bengal and Bihar, and installed a nominee at Kannauj. The Pala chronicles also claim that several other rulers of North India acknowledged his suzerainty, but these claims seem to be exaggerated. Dharmapala was defeated twice by the Gurjara-Pratiharas, but each time the Rashtrakutas subsequently defeated the Pratiharas, leaving Palas as the dominant power in North India. Dharmapala was succeeded by his son Devapala who further expanded the empire. Reign Dharamapala directly ruled over the present-day Bengal and Bihar regions. Si ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pithipatis Of Bodh Gaya
The Pīṭhīpatis of Bodh Gaya (also known as the Pithipatis of Magadha or simply the Pithis) were the rulers of the area around Bodh Gaya from roughly the 11th to 13th centuries CE in the Magadha (region), Magadha region of what is now Bihar in India. Pithi refers to the Vajrasana, Bodh Gaya, diamond throne where the Buddha was said to have gained enlightenment. The Pithipati chiefs styled themselves with the title of Acarya in addition to Pīṭhīpati. Pithipati Buddhasena also termed himself as ''magadhādipati'' (ruler or Pati (title), lord of Magadha). Origin The historian, Dineshchandra Sircar, noted that the Pithipatis appear to have originally been religious authorities and priests before eventually coming into power themselves at some point in the 11th century during the Pala rule of the region and the Pithis themselves were likely subordinates of the Pala dynasty. Pithipati inscriptions refer to the dynasty/clan name as ''Chinda'' and ''Chikkora''. Kumaradevī, the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sardar Patel Memorial College
Sardar Patel Memorial College, also known as S.P.M. College, Udantpuri, is a degree college in Bihar Sharif in the district of Nalanda in Bihar, India. It is a constituent unit of Patliputra University. The college offers senior secondary education and undergraduate degree in arts, science, and information technology. History The college, named after freedom fighter and the first Deputy Prime Minister of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, was established in 1974. It was built in the area having the remains of an ancient fort, which is believed to have been part of the Udantpuri University, founded by the king Gopala of Pala Dynasty in 8th century AD. The neighbourhood is still known by the name 'Udantpuri' after the name of the historical university. It was converted into a constituent unit of Magadh University in 1980. The college has become a constituent unit of Patliputra University since March 2018. Degrees and courses The college offers the following degrees and cou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
