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60th to 62nd B.P.S.C. Prelims 2016

End of Ancient Buddhist Universities

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Nalanda Vihar was destroyed by:

Solution & Analysis

Answer: A

Concept The destruction of the great Buddhist centers of learning in Bihar marked the effective end of organized Buddhism in its Indian heartland.

Explanation Chronicler Minhaj-us-Siraj records that Bakhtiyar Khalji, a Turko-Afghan general, attacked and burned the Nalanda University around 1193-1200 CE, mistaking it for a fortified military post. He also destroyed the libraries, which reportedly burned for months.

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Option A is correct. Bakhtiyar Khalji spearheaded the conquest of Bihar and Bengal under the nominal authority of Muhammad Ghori.
Logic 2: His raids also resulted in the destruction of Vikramshila and Odantapuri monasteries.

Active Recall

Question

What was the immediate consequence of the destruction of Nalanda?

Answer

It led to a massive exodus of Buddhist monks and scholars to Tibet and Southeast Asia, permanently shifting the center of Buddhist learning out of India.

Core Insight

The fall of Nalanda signifies the final collapse of the classical Indian educational system under the pressure of the Turko-Afghan invasions.

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