Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c32.s6.7

c32.s6.7

It is, however, to the credit of the Moslem rulers of Bengal that Nadia rose to be a great centre of Hindu learning known throughout India during the period of their rule (A.D. 1198–1757). The destruction of the Buddhist Vihāras, Nālandā and Vikramaśīlā, gave Brahmanical learning some opportunity to renew its work on new foundations at Nadia under Moslem rule which did not interfere with the religion and culture of the people, and the indigenous social institutions. The need of a new centre of learning in Bengal was also created by the proud practice of Mithilā not to allow any of its students to take away from its schools any of its books or even notes of the lessons or lectures delivered there. Graduates were allowed only to leave with their diplomas but not with any MSS. This peculiar rule confined the learning of Mithilā within its own limits and prevented its extension beyond them. This challenge of Mithilā was answered by Raghunātha Śiromaṇi who first began by instituting a Chair of Logic in Nadia and broke the monopoly of Mithilā in the teaching of that subject.