Nalanda How it Changed the World (Hardcover)  | Released: 30-Jan-25

Review Abhay K has written a wonderfully accessible introduction to early India's most important centre of philosophy and learning, the great monastery-university of Nalanda. Setting his story within a seductively-sketched panorama of the golden age of early Buddhism, Abhay celebrates Nalanda's dazzling libraries, scholars, teachings, doctrines and finally, its global influence. Sympathetic, scholarly and poetic, Abhay K's Nalanda fills an important gap and deserves to be widely read. -- William Dalrymple Even as he resurrects Nalanda from the embers of history, Abhay K. does not simply eulogise it; instead, he transforms this wellspring of scholastic endeavour into an emblem of humankindÍs quest for knowledge. In my view, Abhay K.Ís Nalanda, stunning and scholarly, is an outstanding starting point. -- Shashi Tharoor, Writer and Member of Parliament Abhay KÍs evocative telling brings the layered history of Nalanda to life. The hallowed centre of learning for over a millennium, the Mahavihara first nurtured the idea of the university, and left an indelible imprint on global thought. -- Namita Gokhale, Writer and Festival Director, Jaipur Literature Festival Son of the soil, Abhay K., tells the story of Nalanda MahaviharaÍs revered scholars, groundbreaking philosophies, and the vibrant life within the worldÍs first residential university. He traces how it shaped the intellectual landscape of its era, influencing generations of thinkers and spiritual leaders. -- Rana Safvi, Writer and historian For 700 years, Nalanda was considered the greatest university globally. Attracting students and grants from around the world, it would have been the envy of a modern Ivy League. In his simple and readable style, Abhay K. puts together what is known about this remarkable institution from a range of sources. -- Sanjiv Sanyal, Writer and Economist About the AuthorAbhay K. is a poet, editor and translator. His recent translated book includes Fool Bahadur (Penguin Random House). He is the author of several collections of poems including Celestial (Mapin), Stray Poems (Poetrywala), Monsoon (Sahitya Akademi, India), The Magic of Madagascar (L'Harmattan, Paris), The Alphabets of Latin America ( Bloomsbury India), The Prophecy of Brasilia (Colletivo Editorial, Brazil),The Eight-Eyed Lord of Kathmandu (Bloomsbury) and The Seduction Of Delhi (Bloomsbury). He is also the editor of The Book of Bihari Literature (HarperCollins India), The Bloomsbury Book of Great Indian Love Poems, The Bloomsbury Anthology of Great Indian Poems and CAPITALS. He is translator and editor of New Brazilian Poems (Ibis Libris, Rio). His poems have appeared in over 100 literary journals and magazines and have been translated into over a dozen languages. His ïEarth AnthemÍ, has been translated into over 160 languages. He received the SAARC Literary Award 2013 and was invited to record his poems at the Library of Congress, Washington DC in 2018. His translation of Kalidasa's Meghduta and Ritusamhara, both published by Bloomsbury India, received KLF Poetry Book of the Year Award 2020-2021. His forthcoming book is titled Nalanda (Penguin Random House).