While it is debated as to the influx of outside people to India several thousand years ago, the Vedas give an impression of eastward migration of people from the Punjab plains to the plains of the lower Ganga. Independent of the vedic progression, mythological legends suggest the existence of well developed cultures on the eastern section of India. Names like Magadha, Koshala, Anga, Kalinga have been attributed as powerful kingdoms. Amongst these, Magadha was the largest. Our road to Patna was going through the heartland of the old Magadha kingdom.
We were on our way to Pavapuri, where the Jaina Tirthankara Mahavira had breathed his last.The Jaina religion, called Jainism in English could be considered the oldest faith originating from India. The principal preceptors in the religion are called Tirthankara, literally meaning "one who makes you holy." The interesting part of the faith is that it does not invoke any supernatural object like God to help create the universe, but enunciates that the objects in the universe may transform from one species to the other and maintain an over all stationary state. Depending on the sense capacity, the objects are assumed to maintain a progressive hierarchy, the humans being at the top of such hierarchy. Eventually man would need an escape from the transformation process and seek liberation.
Through the transformation theory, the Jainas were the first in the subcontinent to formulate a mechanism for rebirth. After one is born as a man, one can further refine oneself by cultivating superior values and eventually become a "jina", meaning "one who won." On the other hand, the person may subject himself or herself to errors thus descending to take birth in a lower form of life. The cultivation of superior values is linked to the restraining of the senses. It is declared that all human failings are due to lack of control of one's sense organs. The path to become a "jina" is to win over one's sense-driven aspiration. In a larger sense, Jaina faith advocates denial of sense enjoyment in life.
We do not know why such strict code was set in. The Jaina books claim that the code was set in thousands of years ago. According to the literature there had been twenty four "Tirthakara"s, the twenty fourth being the Vardhamana Mahavira who had his ministry in the Magadha kingdom. He vigorously taught the five vows of the Jaina faith namely (i) nonviolence, (ii) truthfulness, (iii) non-stealing, (iv) chastity, and (v) non-possessiveness. India's Mahatma Gandhi had a jaina lineage through his family history. He tried to emulate the Jaina principles in his life. The population of fJainism in the world is currently about five million.
By definition, a Jaina monk may not possess anything. Austerity and non-possessiveness are the key. The Jain Temple is also austere with simple monolithic architecture. The Jaina kings established excellent marble structures in India and Pavapuri Temple is one of them. It is set inside a large square shaped lotus pond, each side about a quarter mile long. The religion prohibited plucking of the flowers. The entire pond was filled with large lotus leaves and lotus blossoms. A long two hundred yard bridge connected the Temple to the road. The Temple had the reclining image of Mahavir with a priest attending the ritual. The area had many guest houses where the visitors could stay. I am attaching a few pictures at the temple.
We proceed to Rajgir, an old town which had a name in the epics. It had been the capital of Magadha empire in the olden days. The place had a perimeter wall that went parallel to the road. We saw a broken down brick structure which goes by the name of the gymnasium of one of powerful Magadha kings. Individual prowess was more valued than the weaponry in the olden times. As we traveled, we saw signs to various hot water springs. The minerals in the hot water springs are known to have therapeutic value. The area is used as a health resort. There is a special Rajgir snack which is manufactured in the town. It is flaky flour biscuit that comes either saltine or sweet. We took a few and had our tea. As we were proceeding we were noticing structures around. One could feel the traces of history all around. Traveling about ten miles we reached the gates of Nalanda. For a student of history and culture, Nalanda is a pilgrimage. The original Nalanda was most likely a large complex covering several square miles of area. The boundary wall that we saw on the road covered the campus. The area had many Buddhist temples as well as Hindu Temples. It is said that only 5% of the entire area has been excavated. Majestic structures have been unearthed. Like many archaeological ruins, the place was accidentally discovered from a tip of the local villagers.
The location was decorated with a new entrance path way with trees planted on either side. There was a big sign of "Archaeological Survey of India" which acts as the Custodian and caretaker of the ruins. The red bricks had a grandeur in their contrast with the green fields outside. The technology of the grout preparation has not been fully determined. Also it is not easy to figure out the particular applications of the structures. A local guide had volunteered to walk with us. He briefed us and narrated the events as he was trained.
Following the guide's narration, we visited a large Assembly Hall which was apparently used for the meetings and discussions. There were two elevations. We were told that the upper elevation was used by the senior monks and the teachers. The lower floor was used by the students and junior monks. The platform height could be about five feet. It was unclear if a roof existed or the meeting was open air with the constructed platforms. Big cauldrons existed which might have served to light oil lamps.
As we proceeded, we were told that we passed by the dormitories. A dormitory room was about eight feet square with a small low height ante-room to be used a bedroom. There was no plumbing facilities in the dormitory. There were burn marks covering the lower six feet of some twenty feet high walls. The rooms were in rows. From the size of the rooms, one would think that they were used by not-so-tall individuals. The guide freely pointed to a room and claimed that the famous Chinese pilgrim Huen Tsien to have lived in that room!
We moved further which apparently was a Buddhist Temple. It had many layers of work. Besides being used as a worship place, it also had use as a cemetery for the celebrated monks. Nalanda preached the Mahayana philosophy, where Buddha reincarnated. Each new monk had some lineage relation to the original teacher. There was also a Buddha statue in the Temple. The object ruins had been rearranged through intuition. More research would be required to reconstruct the original Temple.
Then we saw what could have been the Library. This was a high-walled structure. The guide said that the Library was up to five-storey high and had the largest collection of the books and manuscripts by 1000 AD. Apparently the Islamist invaders came to the location to destroy the library. The monks tried to resist but did not succeed. The books and a large number of monks perished in the fire. The legends say that the fire burned for several months. This was the beginning of destruction of the golden age of India's civilization!
Occupation of India began with the destruction of her cultivated civilization. Terror is a tool towards occupation. It is an expression of human insecurity and intolerance. Sometimes, weapons and armory give one a privilege to occupy innocent people. How scholars and innocent people can defend themselves against attacks on their freedom is a good question in history.
