Another ancient university ‘Tiladhak’ discovered in Bihar

Another ancient university Tiladhak has been discovered in Bihar which is already home to great universities like Nalanda and Vikramshila, the pilgrimage of learning in ancient India.

The university has been discovered in the Buddhist monastery site of Telhara in Nalanda district said the director of archeology of Bihar.

Heuen Tsang had written about the existence of this university in his accounts. The university spans over a huge area and will take a lot of time for full excavation said Verma to IANS.

Bihar has a rich heritage and flaunts two universities; with the discovery of the third university the state has naturally received greater historical importance. Tiladhak ancient university was set up in 5th century during the Gupta period said Verma.

The ancient university was found during excavation of a 45-foot high mound. A huge floor, statues of bronze and stone and over 100 seals was also found.

The site was under excavation since 2009. The specimens of the site can be seen in the in the proposed International Museum in Patna. The site was visited by the Nobel laureate Amartya Sen.

Heuen Tsang had given graphic description of a cluster of as many as seven Buddhist monasteries flourishing at “Teleadaka”, also called “Tiladhak”, at Telhara site. He also wrote that the university was a learning place to the Mahayana Buddhist.