Located close to another Buddhist Circuit destination of Rajgir, Nalanda is an important stop for understanding the history of Buddhism in India. The peaceful and wonderful sights offered by the city’s Buddhist attractions leave tourists with feelings of awe and serenity. The Buddhist Circuit Tourist Train journey is one of the best Nalanda Tourism packages for exploring Nalanda’s intricate history with Buddhism along with other important Buddhist pilgrimage and heritage sites across India and Nepal. Along with taking you to prime Buddhist destinations across India and Nepal, the train offers exemplary services and facilities that add to the once-in-a-lifetime journey experience.

Why Go On Nalanda Buddhist Tourism In India?

Nalanda is one of the most popular tourist hotspots in the state of Bihar due to its cultural and historic richness. The place is most well known for the ruins of Nalanda University and has other connecting links to the history of Buddhism.

The Buddha often used to grace the city with his presence and it is also the birthplace of one of his followers, Sariputra. It used to be an epicentre of learning in ancient times with scholars and students from all around the world visiting. The relics of Nalanda’s proud history can be found at the Nalanda Museum. The Chinese Buddhist Monk, Hieun Tsang, visited the city for the first time in the 7th century and described in his writings how the city’s name was inspired by a serpent.

Those who want to understand the history of Buddhism should embark on Nalanda Buddhist tourism in India via the Buddhist Circuit Tourist Train.

Important Nalanda Sites On Buddha Nalanda Tour Package

As one of the most important centres of learning for Buddhists across the ancient world, Nalanda offers many prime attractions that showcase the legacy of Buddhism and add to the travel experience.

Ruins Of Nalanda University

Lying in an empty area, the ruins of Nalanda University attest to the glory of one of the main sources of learning Buddhist literature extensively in ancient India. The Mahavihara, a large Buddhist monastery, was founded by Emperor Kumar Gupta in the 5th century AD in the ancient kingdom of Magadha (modern-day Bihar).

The mahavihara flourished for the next 700 years, receiving students and scholars from various parts of the globe, including China, Tibet, Mongolia, Korea and other Asian countries. According to Hieun Tsang, the university had 10000 students taught by great minds from different parts of India.

Other than the scriptures, philosophy, theology, metaphysics, logic, grammar, astronomy and medicine were also taught. Separate buildings were used to teach students with some seating 10000 students. The library was huge, consisting of three buildings.

The monastery was demolished in the 12th century and now its ruins have become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It is surrounded by many stupas featuring Lord Buddha in many poses. The huge pyramidal structure of Temple No. 3 is not only impressive but also gives a great view of the area.

Nalanda Museum

Located close to the Nalanda University ruins, the Nalanda Museum is a popular stop on our Buddha Nalanda tour package because of the ancient relics housed here. These include antiquities recovered from the excavated site of the maha vihara and items recovered from the neighbouring villages of Nalanda and Rajgir.

The prestigious museum displays 350 artefacts with more than 13000 kept in reserve. The artefacts are displayed across four galleries and the main hall and include stone inscriptions, copper plates, coins, pottery and more. The main hall exhibits huge earthen storage jars, the twelve-handed Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, Samantabhadra, the Buddha seated in dharma chakra mudra and other impressive displays.

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