In News:

Following the revival of Nalanda University, another historic centre of learning—Vikramshila University in Bihar—is now set for rejuvenation. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) began developing the site in December 2023 to boost heritage tourism. Simultaneously, the Bihar government has earmarked 202.14 acres of land in Antichak village, Bhagalpur district, for setting up a Central University at the ancient site.

The revival project was approved by the Central Government in 2015 with a sanctioned budget of ?500 crore. However, work was delayed due to issues in land acquisition. With recent approval of ?87.99 crore for land procurement and the identification of suitable land, the project has regained momentum. The site is located about 3 km from the ancient ruins of the original university.

Historical Background:

• Vikramshila University was founded in the late 8th or early 9th century AD by King Dharmapala of the Pala Dynasty as a response to declining academic standards at Nalanda.
• Situated along the banks of the Ganges in eastern India, Vikramshila emerged as a major hub of Tantric Buddhism (Vajrayana) and occult studies, distinguishing itself from the broader curriculum of Nalanda.
• During its peak, Vikramshila housed over 1,000 students and 100 teachers, many of whom came from other parts of India and abroad.
• The university became renowned for its scholarship in theology, logic, metaphysics, grammar, philosophy, and especially tantric studies, which were popular in both Buddhism and Hinduism during that era. Among its most prominent scholars was AtisaDipankara, who played a key role in the spread of Buddhism to Tibet.
• The university featured a central cruciform brick stupa surrounded by 208 monk cells, arranged symmetrically on all four sides. A major architectural marvel of the site is its library, which had an innovative cooling system where water from a nearby reservoir was used to preserve manuscripts. This reflects the advanced engineering and scholarly focus of the institution.
• Although Nalanda and Vikramshila were separate entities, they often collaborated and shared scholars under the patronage of King Dharmapala. At one point, Vikramshila even held administrative authority over Nalanda.

Decline:

Vikramshila flourished for nearly four centuries before being destroyed around 1203 AD during the invasions of Muhammad Bin Bakhtiyar Khalji, the same event that marked the end of Nalanda University. The decline was also contributed to by the waning influence of Buddhism in India and the rise of Hinduism.

Recent Initiatives:

The ASI has divided the Vikramshila ruins into grids for careful excavation and preservation. A museum at the site displays several important antiquities, including sculptures of Buddhist and Hindu deities like Avalokiteshvara, Loknath, Surya, Vishnu, Ganesh, and more. Restoration work is also underway on NH-80, which connects Vikramshila to Bhagalpur city, about 50 km away.