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Nalanda was primarily the Buddhist institution of higher learning, in India. Al-Qarawiyyin has been a centre of Islamic studies, in Morocco. While Nalanda was lost in the ravages of time, Al-Qarawiyyin is the oldest existing educational institution in the world, according to UNESCO and the Guinness Book of World Records. Debjani and Shilpa, the two authors, highlight the salient points of these seats of excellence, exclusively in Different Truths.
Nalanda and Al-Qarawiyyin are the famous names of higher learning institutions in the ancient world. Pupils from the various parts of the world were attracted and came to these higher learning institutions to satisfy their urge of knowledge. When Al-Qarawiyyin of Morocco started its journey, Nalanda had already reached its zenith. Here the authors attempt to highlight the academic brilliance of Nalanda system of education in the perspective of Nalanda-contemporary (415 A.D. – 1200 A.D.) global higher education, with special reference to Al-Qarawiyyin.
Nalanda was primarily emerged as a centre of Buddhist tradition and education, gradually it covered a
Nalanda was enriched with its high degree of teachers. Actually, the fame of Nalanda as a centre of learning was mainly due to the reputation of its teachers. Among them were Asanga, Vasubandhu, Dinnaga, Sthiramati, Gunamati, Chandragomin, Chandrakirtti, Dharmapala, Dharmakirtti, Silabhadra,
Nalanda was noted for its specialisation in the last stages of a University education. At that time, Nalanda was particularly a research institute for advanced students. The stamp of its approval was necessary for any opinion to gain currency in the country. The highest academic degree of distinction of the times was a fellowship of Nalanda. It also had a department of secondary education for regular internal students for whom the above tests of admission did not apply. Al-Qarawiyyin Madrasa took a vital role too. It might be termed as the leading role in developing culture and academic prosperity in the Islamic world in the Middle Ages. Mohammad al-Idrisi, a famous cartographer said that European exploration in the Renaissance had lived in Fez, Morocco for some time. The Al-Qarawiyyin Madrasa and its glorious pattern of education produced numerous scholars, who had a significant role in the intellectual and academic realms of the Muslim world.
Nalanda had been dilapidated and devoured by time, but Nalanda should not be considered only an educational
However, Al-Qarawiyyin still exists. At present, it is the oldest existing and continually operating educational institution in the world, according to UNESCO and the Guinness Book of World Records.
References
- Altekar, A.S. (1965), Education in Ancient India (Sixth Edition), Varanasi, Nand Kishore & Brothers Publication.
- Beal, S., (1884, Reprinted 1995), SI-YU-KI: Buddhist Records of The Western World (translated from the Chinese of Hiuen-Tsiang, A.D. 629), Delhi, Low Price Publications.
- Fauzi, M. Najjar (April 1958), The Karaouine at Fez, The Muslim World, 48(2), Wiley. Retrieved on Aug.9, 2014.
- Lulat, Y. G. M. (2005), A History of African Higher Education from Antiquity to the Present: A Critical Synthesis, Greenwood Publishing Group, 154 – 157.
- Mookerji, R.K. (Second Edition: 1951, Reprint: 2011), Ancient Indian Education, Delhi, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited.
- Saletore, R. N., (1984), Encyclopaedia of Indian Culture, III & IV, New Delhi, Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
- Sankalia, H.D. and with a Preface by Heras, Rev. H., (1934), The University of Nalanda; Madras, B.G. Paul & Co. Publishers.
- Takakusu, J., (1896, reprint 2005), I-Tsing, A Record of the Buddhist Religion (A.D. 671-695), Translated work, Delhi, Munshiram Manoharlal.
Internet Sources
- “Excavated Remains at Nalanda – UNESCO World Heritage Centre”, available athttp://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5407). whc.unesco. org.http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5407. Retrieved on July 13, 2015.
- Introducing Nalanda as an important Buddhist centre of academic excellence, available at www.lonelyplanet.com/india/bihar/nalanda. Retrieved on Feb. 20, 2015
- Forgotten Treasure of Knowledge – Nalanda University, available atvidamanejo.com/…/forgotten-treasure-of-knowledge-nalanda-university-in-bihar- india….Retrieved on Feb 20, 2015
©Debjani Guha & Shilpa Bhattacharyya
Photos sourced by the authors and from the Internet
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