Senaka Weeraratna

For centuries, the destruction of Nalanda University has symbolized the tragic decline of Buddhism in India. But Nalanda was not the only great center of learning lost to history. In this documentary, we explore the forgotten story of Odantapuri Mahavihara — one of ancient India’s oldest Buddhist universities — its rise, significance, scholars, and the devastating invasion led by Bakhtiyar Khilji that changed the intellectual landscape of Asia forever. 

Why was Odantapuri targeted? What made this university so important? And why has history almost forgotten its existence? This is the story of a lost civilization of knowledge. #Odantapuri #Nalanda #BakhtiyarKhilji #BuddhistHistory #AncientIndia #Buddhism #IndianHistory #NalandaUniversity #Mahavihara #HistoryDocumentary 

Chapters : 00:00 – 

Introduction 02:06 – 

The Birth of Odantapuri 03:38 – 

The Age of Buddhist Universities 05:29 – 

Life Inside the University 07:06 – 

Odantapuri’s Influence 08:32 – 

The Violent Destruction 11:16 – 

The Impact on Buddhism 13:31 – 

Why Odantapuri Was Forgotten 15:55 – 

The Legacy Credits: User:Haros based on map created by user:Planemad, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Gerd Eichmann, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Odantapuribs, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Odantapuribs, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Sumitsurai, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Odantapuribs, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Bodhisattva explores the history of Odantapuri, a powerful 8th-century center of learning established by the Pala dynasty. This institution functioned within a vast network of Buddhist universities, playing a critical role in shaping intellectual thought and monastic traditions across Asia before its sudden decline.