History In Minutes: Vikramshila, Iconic Uni To Rise From Ashes

With six colleges, the university campus was a hub of scholars from around the world. It was the first to award degree titles like Mahapandit and Pandit to graduating students.

IMAGE: Vikramshila University from the Vikramshila excavated site. Photograph: Kind courtesy Spotplayerx/Wikimedia Commons

After Nalanda University, Vikramshila in Bihar is the next ancient university slated for a revival.

The Central University will be established in Bhagalpur district. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to lay the foundation stone next year.

Nalanda and Vikramshila universities existed before Oxford, Cambridge and the university of Bologna.

Situated 38 km from Bhagalpur, Vikramshila was a famous centre of learning during the Pala dynasty. The Pala empire was founded in the 8th century and dominated Bengal and Bihar.

IMAGE: The ancient site of the Vikramshila monastery near the village of Antichak in Bihar's Bhagalpur district. Photograph: Kind courtesy Prataparya/Wikimedia Commons

Vikramshila was established by King Dharmpala in the 8th-9th century on a rocky hillock on the confluence of the Kosi and Ganga rivers as an institution of higher learning and Buddhist studies.

It had a vast collection of manuscripts and attracted Buddhist scholars from around the world signifying the genius of ancient India.

The premiere learning centre of ancient India, it had 6 colleges on campus.

Philosophy, Metaphysics, Logic, Grammar, Buddhist Tantra were some of the subjects taught at the university.

After completing their education, Buddhist monks travelled to various parts of the world spreading Buddha's teachings.

IMAGE: Seats at the ruins of Vikramshila. Photograph: Kind courtesy Rakesh Ranjan/Wikimedia Commons

According to a report in the Statesman newspaper, the tradition of awarding degrees first began at Vikramshila University. Mahapandit [Great Scholar] and Pandit [scholar] titles were awarded to students. Exceptional pupils had their portraits painted on the university walls.

It had 100 teachers and 1,000 students.

The university was a flourishing centre of knowledge for nearly 400 years and was among the three most important Buddhist monasteries along with Nalanda, and Odantapuri, both in Bihar.

All the three great universities were sacked by Bakhtiyar Khilji, the Turk-Afghan invader when he raided Bihar several times in the 12th century.

The Indian Railways has a train named after the university called the Vikramshila Express, which runs between Bhagalpur and New Delhi.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com