Never Destroyed By Mamluk Invaders, Nalanda Becomes One Of The World’s Foremost Universities | Dhruv Vyas

It can be argued that Nalanda was the education and spiritual center of the world, with students and teachers from all over. In my poster the students in the foreground are from different nationalities and areas of study; astrology/ astronomy, philosophy, literature and ayurveda. The waves behind the students symbolize the ever- churning ocean of knowledge and wisdom. The gyan mudras (hand gestures) in the background provide shelter to the students like the bodhi tree. In the center there is a guru. I have shown a staircase which originates from the guru’s head and leads towards the light. A drop of water falls from a shell like a pearl, baptizing any seeker of knowledge with conscience. It also symbolizes spiritual awakening and thinking out of the box, which was encouraged in Nalanda. If it wasn’t destroyed surely it would have been a brewing pot of innovators, explorers, scientists, and other luminaries of their day.