The education system in India goes back a long time ago.
Ancient India was renowned for some flourished dynasties and their rich cultural heritages, and with this, it was home to some world’s oldest universities. These universities were the centre of education, attracting scholars and students from worldwide. They were the hubs of knowledge, research and educational discourse.
Let’s take a deep dive into the delve of ancient India and explore a list of universities that flourished at that time.
Nalanda University: Nalanda Mahavihara, situated in ancient Magadha, present-day Bihar, in India, was established during the Gupta dynasty, around the 5th century CE, one of the most famous ancient universities. It was known as the first residential university in the world. It gained international fame for its tremendous education curriculum, a vast library, and millions of manuscripts. The university was Mahavihara or a Buddhist monastery that offers a wide range of subjects like mathematics, medicine, astronomy, philosophy etc. Later it was destroyed by the troops of Bakhtiyar Khalji. Famous scholars like Aryabhatta, Atisha Dipankara, Nagarjuna, Xuanzang or Hiuen Tsang were associated with this marvellous institution.
Takshashila (Taxila) University: Takshashila is another renowned ancient university situated in present-day Pakistan. It is presumed that the university dates back to the 7th century BC. It also attracted students from the Indian subcontinent and beyond. This university had subjects like mathematics, astronomy, medicine, linguistics, political science, and others. Great minds like Chanakya (Kautilya), Charaka, Panini, and Chandragupta Maurya were associated with this university.
Vikramshila: Founded by King Dharmapala in the late 8th century CE, Vikramshila University was also a Mahavihara like Nalanda. Also, the centre of Buddhist learning remains situated in present-day Bihar in India. The university offered grammar, logic, philosophy, mathematics and various other branches of knowledge. Scholars from China, Tibet and other parts of Asia came to this university and expanded their intellectual horizons.
Somapura: Somapura Mahavihara was also an ancient centre of learning situated in ancient Bengal, present-day Bangladesh. It got counted among the best Mahavihara from ancient times. King Dharmapala also established Vikramshila, Somapura Mahavihara. This monastery offers a vast curriculum, including grammar, mathematics, astronomy, philosophy and Buddhist learning. It also attracted many students from the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia.
Sharada Peeth: Located in present-day Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Sharada Peeth was also a prominent centre for learning in ancient India. This university specialized in Vedanta, Sanskrit language, and philosophy. It was one of the four significant centres established by the ancient philosopher Adi Shankaracharya.
In conclusion, the universities of ancient India played a crucial role in shaping the cultural, philosophical and intellectual landscape of the subcontinent. They were hubs of knowledge, wisdom and education.
