In the heart of ancient India, vibrant ancient Indian universities flourished, where the brightest minds gathered to exchange knowledge and ideas. Takshashila, Nalanda, Vallabhi, Vikramshila, and Sharada Peeth were not merely universities; they were beacons of intellectual brilliance, nurturing scholars in diverse fields like philosophy, mathematics, and medicine. Each institution represented the rich tapestry of India’s cultural and educational heritage, shaping the very foundations of global knowledge.
However, the flames of progress and enlightenment were extinguished by devastating invasions that swept through these sacred halls of learning. The stories of these universities, once teeming with life and intellect, remind us of the profound loss of knowledge and culture that can occur in the face of violence. As we delve into the history of these glorious ancient universities, we honor their legacy and reflect on the resilience of human thought and creativity that continues to inspire us today.
Discover the rich history of 5 glorious ancient Indian universities—Takshashila, Nalanda, Vallabhi, Vikramshila, and Sharada Peeth—that were tragically destroyed by invasions.
Takshashila University
Takshashila (Taxila) University, believed to have been founded by Kuru prince Duryodhana at the birthplace of his mother Gandhari, stands as one of the oldest and most prestigious centers of higher learning in ancient India. The region, known as ‘Gandhara’ in the Mahabharata, is currently located in Pakistan’s Rawalpindi district. Takshashila was not merely a university but a symbol of India’s profound intellectual heritage.
Renowned for hosting a wide range of disciplines, it attracted scholars like Panini, the Sanskrit grammarian, and Chanakya, the political strategist and advisor to Emperor Chandragupta Maurya. The university offered over 60 different subjects, including Vedas, Vedanta, Ayurveda, surgery, astronomy, agriculture, commerce, and military education. With over 10,500 students from Aryavrat (India), Greece, Arabia, and China, Takshashila thrived as a global educational hub for 16 years of rigorous learning.
The loss of Takshashila stands as a testament to the rich academic traditions that were shattered by foreign invasions, erasing centuries of academic brilliance and learning from the world’s historical landscape. This remarkable seat of knowledge, which fostered learning for centuries, became a casualty of military conquests. The incursions into the Indian subcontinent not only obliterated cultural treasures but also wiped out the intellectual legacy of institutions like Takshashila. What remained were ruins of a once-flourishing university that had shaped scholars who contributed to global knowledge.
Nalanda University
Once a pinnacle of learning, Nalanda University in the ancient kingdom of Magadha (modern-day Bihar) stood as one of India’s most distinguished universities. Established during the reign of the Gupta Empire, it flourished as a beacon of education for over 2,000 years. Kings from far-off lands like Indonesia and China contributed to its growth, attracted by the knowledge shared within its revered halls.
Nalanda was not only a center for Vedic learning but also a stronghold of Buddhist teachings, particularly in Mahayana Buddhism. It drew scholars and monks from Tibet, China, Persia, and Greece. Its library, spread across multiple floors, housed some of the most sacred manuscripts and rare texts, chronicling subjects from medicine and logic to Sanskrit grammar and Mahayana Buddhism. The university’s rigorous standards saw only 20% of applicants being accepted, with free education provided to all successful students.
However, like other centers of learning, Nalanda’s grand legacy met a tragic end due to invasions. In 1193, the university was ransacked by Turkish invader Bakhtiyar Khilji, who set fire to its vast library, which reportedly burned for months. Thousands of scholars were killed, and Nalanda’s wealth of knowledge was lost forever, buried under the ashes of destruction.
The fall of Nalanda exemplifies the cultural devastation inflicted by invasions on India’s ancient educational institutions, erasing centuries of intellectual pursuit and spiritual enlightenment.
Vallabhi University
Vallabhi University, once a major center of education in Saurashtra, Gujarat, stood as a symbol of intellectual pursuit and enlightenment for nearly 800 years. Established by the Maitraka dynasty, a feudal branch of the Guptas, Vallabhi rivaled Nalanda in prestige. The university boasted an expansive curriculum, teaching subjects like Economics, Law, Politics, Medical Science, Literature, and Hinayana Buddhism. Its massive library, filled with ancient manuscripts and knowledge, attracted students from all corners of Aryavrat (India) and beyond, earning it widespread recognition.
What made Vallabhi University stand out was its academic excellence and the high regard in which its graduates were held. Students who graduated from Vallabhi were often appointed to administrative and diplomatic positions in royal courts. Religious tolerance and intellectual freedom were core values of the institution, attracting scholars from diverse backgrounds, including Chinese traveler I-tsing, who spoke highly of Vallabhi’s standards.
However, like many ancient centers of learning in India, Vallabhi University fell victim to foreign invasion. In the 8th century, Arab invaders laid siege to Vallabhi, destroying its infrastructure and halting centuries of educational progress. Although the university struggled for a few hundred years with repairs, its glory days had long faded, and the center of learning was never fully revived.
Vallabhi’s downfall illustrates the devastating cultural losses, as centuries of accumulated knowledge were lost forever in the flames of conflict.
Vikramshila University
Vikramshila University, established by the Pala king Dharmapala in the 7th century, was one of the most renowned centers of Buddhist learning in ancient India. Located in present-day Bihar, it stood as a testament to the educational and cultural prosperity of the region under the Pala dynasty. Vikramshila attracted scholars from across the Indian subcontinent and beyond, particularly those studying logic, philosophy, and Buddhist teachings.
The university housed over 100 teachers and more than 1000 students. It featured a grand structure, with six major colleges and a central building called Vigyan Bhawan, which was connected by six gates. The Kulpati, or Mahasthavir, elected by the community, held the highest position within the university. This center of learning not only fostered knowledge but also spiritual growth, with its scholars playing significant roles in the propagation of Buddhism, particularly in Tibet.
However, like many other great Indian institutions of the time, Vikramshila University faced a tragic end. In 1203 CE, the Turkic general Bakhtiyar Khilji, who had previously destroyed Nalanda University, turned his destructive force on Vikramshila. Khilji’s invasion marked the end of the flourishing intellectual and spiritual activities at Vikramshila. The university, along with its scholars and monks, faced brutal devastation, and centuries of knowledge were lost forever.
The sacking of Vikramshila University is emblematic of how the rich tradition of learning in ancient India suffered immense setbacks due to such invasions.
Sharada Peeth University
Sharada Peeth, once one of the largest and most prestigious centers of learning in ancient India, is a symbol of Kashmir’s historical prominence in education and scholarship. Revered as a temple university, it flourished for thousands of years and played a pivotal role in the development of the Sharada script and Kashmir’s intellectual legacy. Esteemed scholars like Kalhana, the author of Rajatarangini, and Adi Shankara, the philosopher who consolidated Advaita Vedanta, were associated with Sharada Peeth, contributing to its prominence.
This revered temple university was not only a hub for scholars from India but also attracted students from neighboring regions like Tibet. It became a sacred space for both education and spirituality, with influential figures such as the Tibetan translator Vairotsana and Thonmi Sambhota, the inventor of the Tibetan script, having studied here.
However, much like other ancient Indian centers of learning, Sharada Peeth met its downfall. The precise date of its establishment remains unclear, but the continuous cultural disruptions that took place due to foreign invasions gradually led to the temple university’s decline. Historical records point to the loss of not just physical structures but also the intellectual and spiritual vibrancy that once defined Sharada Peeth. Its collapse marks the end of a rich era of learning that left a lasting imprint on Indian philosophy, language, and education.
