Patna, Aug. 20: A fresh study on the ancient Nalanda University has revealed that around 110 villages in the vicinity supported the varsity's sustenance and at least 50 of them still exist in the area.

Ravi S. Gupta, an archaeologist in Patna, has lent some new insight into the ancient varsity, its operations and management in his research project, "Discovery of villages associated with ancient Nalanda University". He has identified around 110 villages donated to the university by rulers across different periods. The revenue generated through tax and donation rendered by the villagers, he said, financially supported the university.

More than 50 villages are still located within 0-50km of the university ruins in Nalanda, Gaya, Jehanabad and Nawada districts. Gupta, who works at Bihar Museum as a curatorial associate, claimed that though a lot of work has been done on the ruins of the ancient university, there are very few references to the villages associated with it.

"I chose this topic to throw some light on how the villages contributed to Nalanda University," Gupta said. "As there were hardly any references, I visited most of these villages for an assessment of their link with the ancient Nalanda University. Most of these villages were located close to the Nalanda University to ensure timely supplies."

The villages named by the researcher were donated by rulers from different periods - from Gupta (5th century AD) to Pala (8th-12th century AD) - to the university to meet routine requirements of the faculty and students at the university.

Founded in the 5th century AD, Nalanda was one of the first great global universities that survived until 1193 when Ikhtiyar-uddin Mohammed Bin Bakhtyar Khilji, a general of Qutbuddun Aibak, sacked the university and set it on fire, apparently, as legend has it, mistaking it for a fort. Among its early students was Hiuen Tsang, the 7th century Chinese traveller.

"The ancient university was established by Gupta king Kumara Gupta I in the 5th century AD. While it flourished the most in Pala period, rulers from different kingdoms supported it over eight centuries," said Gupta. "The kings used to gift villages to the varsity and the tax collected from the residents was used to financially support the varsity. Besides, donations and aid were given to the university."

He has also quoted excerpts from the historical texts of Hiuen Tsang and I-Tsing. "According to Hiuen Tsang, King Harshavardhana donated 100 villages to Nalanda university. I-Tsing, on the other hand, has said that around 200 villages were donated for financial management of the university, including sustenance of the monks," said Gupta.

The Nitish Kumar government has also proposed to develop around 200 villages in the vicinity of the new Nalanda University.