EPISODE · Jun 5, 2026 · 8 MIN
The Buddhist University That Burned: Nalanda and Bengal's Lost Knowledge
from The Hidden History of Bengal: Kingdoms, Empires, and Revolution — Fexingo History · host Fexingo
Long before Oxford or Bologna, Nalanda was the ancient world's greatest university — a sprawling monastery-city where thousands of monks from China, Korea, Tibet, and Southeast Asia studied logic, medicine, and philosophy alongside local scholars from Bengal and Bihar. This episode traces the deep connections between Nalanda and Bengal's Pala dynasty, who patronized the university for four centuries. We explore how Bengal's Buddhist kings, especially Dharmapala and Devapala, transformed Nalanda into a global center of learning, funding libraries that housed millions of manuscripts. We also examine the tragic end: the Turkic invasions under Bakhtiyar Khilji, the burning of the libraries that supposedly smoldered for months, and the enduring debate over whether the destruction was as total as legend claims. Along the way, we meet Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang, who left a detailed account of Nalanda's curriculum and daily life, and consider how Bengal's Buddhist heritage was systematically erased after the university's fall. #Nalanda #Pala #BakhtiyarKhilji #Xuanzang #BuddhistBengal #Dharmapala #Devapala #MedievalUniversity #NalandaManuscript #PalaArt #Mahayana #Vikramashila #Gauda #Bihar #BengalHistory #History #FexingoHistory #SouthAsia Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
What this episode covers
Long before Oxford or Bologna, Nalanda was the ancient world's greatest university — a sprawling monastery-city where thousands of monks from China, Korea, Tibet, and Southeast Asia studied logic, medicine, and philosophy alongside local scholars from Bengal and Bihar. This episode traces the deep connections between Nalanda and Bengal's Pala dynasty, who patronized the university for four centuries. We explore how Bengal's Buddhist kings, especially Dharmapala and Devapala, transformed Nalanda into a global center of learning, funding libraries that housed millions of manuscripts. We also examine the tragic end: the Turkic invasions under Bakhtiyar Khilji, the burning of the libraries that supposedly smoldered for months, and the enduring debate over whether the destruction was as total as legend claims. Along the way, we meet Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang, who left a detailed account of Nalanda's curriculum and daily life, and consider how Bengal's Buddhist heritage was systematically erased after the university's fall. #Nalanda #Pala #BakhtiyarKhilji #Xuanzang #BuddhistBengal #Dharmapala #Devapala #MedievalUniversity #NalandaManuscript #PalaArt #Mahayana #Vikramashila #Gauda #Bihar #BengalHistory #History #FexingoHistory #SouthAsia Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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The Buddhist University That Burned: Nalanda and Bengal's Lost Knowledge
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