nalanda, rajgriha, bodhgaya, ajanta, ellora, hindu, buddha, jaina, aurangabad, daulatabad, khuldabad, bibi ka maqbara, anwa, pithalkhora, lonar crater.

NALANDA

The ruins of encient Buddhist establishment is found at Nalanda close to Rajgriha. The great encient University has been excavated .

The University of Nalanda was founded in 5th century AD, this great seat of learning flourished until 12th century. Once 2,000 teachers and 10,000 students crowded its portals. King after king built monasteries and temples here.
Nalanda was destroyed by Afghan invader, Mohammad Bakhtiyar Khilji.

Nalanda was first discovered by Buchanon Hamilton on 1812 AD. After 50 years, Lord Cunningham identified the place with the encient Nalanda.

By Air The nearest Airport gaya close to Bodhgaya is only connected with Kolkata. Another air port Patna is connected with Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai.

By Rail Though Rajgriha is a railway station, maximum trains run through Gaya Junction and Bihar Sharif Junction. Gaya is close to Bodhgaya.

By Road Nalanda is well connected with Rajgriha (12 km), Gaya (78 km),

Brief description of Excavated Sites in Nalanda:
Main Temple (Site No. 3): Standing at the Southern Extemity is the largest and most imposing solid structure.
Monastery site I.A and I.B. : These monasteries were built directly over the ruins of earlier buildings on the same spot.
Monastery site I : Is the most important of the group lying to the north east of side IA.
Monastery site 4 : Its northern half was excavated and earlier monastery found.
Monastery site 5 : There are two rows of cells communicating with each other.
Monastery site 6 : There are two sets of double ovens.
Monastery site 7 : Site reveals three periods of occupation.
Monastery site 8 : Here two different levels of occupation are identified.
Monastery site 9 : Here the open space was blocked up to form a separate cell which was provided with a small corbelled door, about 2m high.
Monastery site 10 : The doors and arches are set in mud-mortar, instead of wooden lintels.
Monastery site 11 : Lying near cultivated fields and is badly damaged condition.
Temple site 12 : Thsi structure represents two different priods of constructions, later had been erected on the ruins of earlier one.
Temple site 13 : This shows two different period of construction. The brick made smelting furnace used for casting metal objects found.
Temple site 14 : It is almost identical with site No. 13. Inside the chamber the colossal stucco image of Buddha found. There is only one specimen of mural painting found.
Temple site 2 : Interesting feature is the dado of 211 numbers of sculptured panels over the moulded plinth.
Image of Buddha: In an enclosure to the east of Temple No. 14 is preserved a colossal stone image of seated Buddha.
Image of Marichi: is Buddhist goddess of dawn found 100 meters to the east of Temple site No. 14.