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Which of the following Buddhist Mahavihara were founded by Pala rulers?
Nalanda
  • Vikramshila
  • Somapura
  • Odantapuri
    Select the correct answer using the code given below.
    • a)
      1 and 2 only
    • b)
      1 and 3 only
    • c)
      2, 3 and 4 only
    • d)
      1, 2, 3 and 4
    Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
    Most Upvoted Answer
    Which of the following Buddhist Mahavihara were founded by Pala ruler...
    • In the Bengal region, the style of architecture came to be known as the Pala School of Architecture. It developed in the period between the 8th and 12th century A.D. under the patronage of the Pala dynasty. The Palas were primarily Buddhist rulers following Mahayana tradition, but were very tolerant and patronized other religions also. Pala Kings built lots of Viharas, Chaityas, and Stupas.
    • Monuments under Pala rulers are: Universities of Jagaddala, Odantapuri, and Vikramshila were developed under Pala rulers. Somapura Mahavihara is a magnificent monastery in Bangladesh developed by them.
    • Note: Pala rulers were great patrons of Buddhist learning and religion. The construction of Nalanda university began in the 5th century AD and flourished under the Gupta rulers. The Nalanda University was revived by Dharmapala and 200 villages were set apart for meeting its expenses. It came to an end in the 12th century when it was destroyed by the invading Turkish army led by its commander Bakhtiar Khilji. UNESCO has declared Nalanda Mahavihara as a World Heritage Site.
    Hence option (c) is the correct answer.
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    Which of the following Buddhist Mahavihara were founded by Pala ruler...
    Buddhist Mahaviharas Founded by Pala Rulers

    Nalanda, Vikramshila, Somapura, and Odantapuri were the four great Buddhist Mahaviharas founded by Pala rulers during their reign in India from the 8th to 12th century AD. Let's discuss each of them in detail.

    1. Nalanda:

    Nalanda was the most famous Mahavihara among the four and was founded by the Pala king Dharmapala in the 8th century AD. It was located in present-day Bihar and was the largest residential university of ancient India. Nalanda had over 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers from all over the world. The university was renowned for its courses in Buddhism, logic, mathematics, medicine, and astronomy. Nalanda was destroyed by Turkish invaders in the 12th century AD.

    2. Vikramshila:

    Vikramshila was founded by the Pala king Dharmapala in the late 8th century AD. It was located in present-day Bihar and was the second-largest Buddhist university after Nalanda. Vikramshila was famous for its courses in Buddhism, philosophy, and tantra. The university was destroyed by Muslim invaders in the 12th century AD.

    3. Somapura:

    Somapura was founded by the Pala king Dharmapala in the 8th century AD. It was located in present-day Bangladesh and was the largest Buddhist monastery in South Asia. Somapura was famous for its courses in Buddhism, philosophy, and astronomy. The monastery was destroyed by Muslim invaders in the 12th century AD.

    4. Odantapuri:

    Odantapuri was founded by the Pala king Gopala in the 8th century AD. It was located in present-day Bihar and was the smallest of the four Mahaviharas. Odantapuri was famous for its courses in Buddhism, philosophy, and logic. The university was destroyed by Muslim invaders in the 12th century AD.

    Conclusion:

    Thus, we can see that all four Buddhist Mahaviharas, namely Nalanda, Vikramshila, Somapura, and Odantapuri, were founded by Pala rulers during their reign in India. These universities were renowned for their courses in Buddhism, philosophy, and other subjects and attracted students and scholars from all over the world. Unfortunately, they were destroyed by Muslim invaders in the 12th century AD.
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