2025 Nalanda Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in July)

I was fortunate to visit Nalanda Mahavihara, the world's first university, and was shocked! Because this is also the place where Master Xuan Tao crossed mountains and rivers to obtain Buddhist scriptures. The campus is magnificent and vast, with several temples, classrooms, monks' rooms, restaurants, kitchens, libraries, halls, pagodas... everything you need. At its peak, the university had a collection of more than 9 million volumes of books and cultivated countless top talents. Unfortunately, the Islamic army invaded Nalanda in the early 20th century and destroyed it completely; fortunately, the current ancient ruins were recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2016 and have been preserved. Another famous Buddhist holy site that often appears in Buddhist scriptures is Jetavana Vihara, located in Śrāvastī. This interesting period of history began when the richest man at the time, Anathapindika, donated all his wealth to the Buddha three times (the amazing thing is that he was able to make the money back very quickly), and bought this garden from Prince Jeta of Sravasti to donate it to the monks as a monastery for long-term practice and residence. At first, Prince Jeta made harsh selling conditions to make things difficult for the old man. He demanded that the entire ground of the garden be covered with gold before he would sell it (which was an impossible task because the garden was so vast and boundless when I saw it in person). Unexpectedly, the prince finally met the elder's request to pave the land with gold, and he had to agree to sell the land to the elder. Later, the prince insisted that the trees in the garden were planted by him over the years, so he donated the trees to the Buddha and the Sangha in his own name. Therefore, Jetavana Monastery is also known as "Jetavana Grove". Only after visiting these Buddhist holy sites in person did I suddenly realize that the stories in the Buddhist scriptures are not myths, but real historical events. Very shocking! After I came back and read the Buddhist scriptures again, I had a completely different state of mind. It was really worth the trip! #Nalanda #Only Tree for Lonely Garden #Gion Abode

| 2013 North India Quick Tour Guide. Camera: Pentax K30. February-March 2013 ✓【Total cost 6800 RMB】 Sticker visa: 300 RMB 10,000 RMB fixed deposit certificate / employment certificate / original passport Round-trip airfare: 3700 RMB Ethiopian Airlines ET689: Hangzhou - New Delhi China Eastern MU556/8582: Kolkata - Kunming - Hangzhou Itinerary details: see (P2) Hangzhou - New Delhi - Rajasthan - Madhya Pradesh - Uttar Pradesh - Bihar - Jharkhand - West Bengal - Kunming - Hangzhou ✓【Recommended pre-trip reading】 "Peeking into India" by Kappa Senoo [Japan] "India/Northern India/Rajasthan" Lonely Planet [Australia] "Travel Around the World" Da Bao Shi Publishing [Japan] ✓【Mughal Empire Heritage】 Delhi · Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad) Agra · Agra Fatehpur Sikri · Fatehpur Sikri Sikandra · Sikandra ✓【Rajasthan Four Color Cities】 🔴 Pink · Jaipur 🔵 Blue · Jodhpur 🟡 Gold · Jaisalmer ⚪ White · Udaipur ✓【Ancient Indian Fortresses】 Gwalior · Gwalior Jhansi/Orchha · Jhansi/Orchha Fort Kumbhalgarh · Kumbhalgarh Fort Ranakpur · Ranakpur Khajuraho · Khajuraho ✓【Ganges and Buddha Heritage】 Varanasi/Sarnath · Varanasi/Sarnath Bodhgaya · Bodh Gaya/Bamboo Grove/Nalanda Kushinagar · Kushinagar Lumbini · Lumbini (in Nepal) Kapilavastu · Kapilavastu (in Nepal) ✓【Unfinished side missions - Cave temples and sculptures】 Sanchi Stupa Ellora Caves Ajanta Caves Elephanta Caves, Mumbai Hampi Pattadakal Thanjavur Goa

#springitinerary Exploring the ruins of Nalanda University is like stepping into a quiet time machine. This place used to be the Harvard of ancient India, seriously, scholars from all over Asia came here to study way back in the day (we’re talking 5th century vibes). Now it’s all red brick ruins and grassy courtyards, but there’s something super peaceful and powerful about walking through it. You can see old classrooms, meditation halls, and even the remains of massive libraries. It’s not flashy, but it feels sacred, like you can almost hear the whispers of ancient knowledge in the breeze. There’s a small but solid museum nearby too, with artifacts that bring it all to life. If you’re into history, spirituality, or just want a chill spot with soul, Nalanda totally delivers. Quiet, inspiring, and way cooler than your average ruins. Definitely worth the detour.

#aprilblooms Traditional Lao Silk Outfit Elegant and timeless, the traditional Lao silk outfit is a symbol of cultural pride and craftsmanship. Handwoven by skilled artisans using locally sourced silk, each piece features intricate patterns unique to different regions of Laos. Typically worn during ceremonies, weddings, and festivals, this attire combines beauty with heritage. The outfit often includes a long, wrap-around skirt known as a sinh, paired with a fitted blouse and sometimes complemented by a silk shoulder scarf (pha biang). #laos #outfit #silk

Veluvana Monastery is a place where history and nature blend perfectly. It is located in Rajgir, Bihar, India. This temple is of Buddhist significance as it was the first monastery where the Buddha stayed after his enlightenment. This bamboo garden was once offered by King Bimbisara of Magadha for the Buddha and his monks to stay and practice Dharma. You can feel the tranquility and shade from the surrounding bamboo trees, which is suitable for meditation or walking meditation. During your visit, there are several important places to visit such as Mucalinda pond, which is a sacred pond, and the area where the Buddha delivered the Ovadapatimokkha. Travel Tips • How to get there: From Bodh Gaya, you can take a taxi or bus for about 2 hours. • Best time to visit: October to February, the weather is cool and comfortable. • What to bring: Hat, umbrella, and drinking water because walking around the place can take a long time. #VeluvanaMonastery #Buddhism #Rajgir #VisitIndia #PilgrimagePlaces

Chinese Temple, Bodh Gaya, India It is one of the international temples in the land of Buddha, Bodh Gaya, built in Chinese architecture. It stands out from the Chinese-style entrance gate. When you enter the temple, you will see a large Guanyin statue. Inside the temple, there are 3 large Buddha statues, which are the principal Buddha images. It is a temple near the Bodh Gaya pagoda. 📍 Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India #tripพาบินเที่ยวจีน

Luang Pho Ong Dam of Nalanda, Rajgir, India 🌿🙏🌱It is considered the most important and famous Buddha image in India because it is the only Buddha image that escaped the destruction of the Muslim Turkic army (Turkey). 💐🙏🪷The Buddha image is carved from black granite. It has a lap width of 60 inches and a height from the lap to the top of the crown of 69 inches. The crown is a lotus bud. The posture is sitting in meditation. The left hand is placed on the lap (lap), the right hand is placed on the knee, the fingers of the right hand all point to Mother Earth as a witness. Thai people like to call it the Mara-Vijaya posture (the posture of defeating Mara, the posture of terrifying Mara). As for Indians, it is called Pang Bhum Phassa or Pang Bhum Phassa is over 1,000 years old. 🌷🙏🦚Indians highly respect and believe in the sacredness of Luang Pho Phra Phuttha Chao Ong Dam. When their children are sick, they will first apply ghee to him, then rub the ghee back on their children. This makes the children recover from their illnesses, stop being cranky, eat, and become healthy and well-rounded. Many people call him “Luang Pho Nam Man” or “Teliya Baba” in Indian. 📍 Nalanda, Rajgir, India #100TravelWays

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