Nalanda Once Ruined by Muslim Invader Bakhtiar Khilji Now a World Heritage Site Declared by UNESCO

Nalanda Once Ruined by Muslim Invader Bakhtiar Khilji 

Now a World Heritage Site Declared by UNESCO

Nalanda was a glorified Mahavihara - a large Buddhist monastery in the ancient kingdom of Magadha in India. The site is situated around 95 km southeast of Patna, the capital of Bihar. Near the town of Bihar Sharif, Nalanda has been important  centre of  learning. The 'Mahavihara' has been possibly  the world's  first residential international university but ruined in the 12th century by a  Muslim invader Bakhtiar Khilji-led Turkish army in 1193 AD. 

Image Courtesy: indiatoday.intoday.in

The ruins of Nalanda University (Nalanda Mahavihara) was declared a World Heritage Site on 15th of July 2016. A communique  issued by Unesco's World Heritage Committee said" Nalanda stands out as the most ancient university of the Indian subcontinent. It engaged in the organised transmission of knowledge over an uninterrupted period of 800 years. The historical development of the site testifies to the development of Buddhism into a religion and the  flourishing of monastic and educational traditions."

Image Courtesy:nnm.ac.in

The 'Mahavihara' was among four  sites granted world heritage status at the committee's meeting in Istanbul. Others being -

1 China's Zuojiang Huashan rock art cultural landscape

2 Iran's ancient aqueducts known as Qanat

3 Micronesia's artificial islets of Nan Madol

The 'Mahavihara' is the second Unesco world heritage site in Bihar after Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya. There are overall 33 such sites in India.

Image Courtesy : explorebihar.in

A World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization) as being of special cultural or physical significance. While each World Heritage Site remains part of the legal territory of state wherein the site is located, UNESCO considers it in the interest of international community to preserve each site.


On 17th July 2016 "Capitol Complex" of Chandigarh and "Kanchenjunga National Park" of Sikkim were also inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. "Kanchenjunga National Park" became the first "Mixed Heritage" site of India.