Nālandā (Hindi: नालंदा) is the name of an ancient university in Bihar, India. The site of Nalanda is located in the Indian state of Bihar, about 55 miles south east of Patna, and was a Buddhist center of learning from 427 to 1197 CE. It has been called "one of the first great universities in recorded history." Some parts of Nalanda university were constructed by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka the Great e.g. the Sariputta Stupa and by Tamil emperor Rajaraja Chola. The Gupta Dynasty also patronized some monasteries. According to historians, Nalanda flourished between 427 CE and 1197 CE, mainly on account of patronage of Buddhist Emperors like Harshavardhana, Pandyas of Pandyan Dynasty and Pala kings of Pala dynasty. The ruins of Nalanda University occupy an area of 14 hectares. This university w