The University of Nalanda c17.20

c17.20

Monastery No. I gives us a good idea of the rooms in which the bhikṣus stayed. As soon as we enter the monastery from the centre of the west wall, we first meet with a grand stair-case, 32 feet wide and projecting some 38 feet.⁴ After this, comes the interior wall. Along this wall, on all the four sides, are rows of chambers, which vary very slightly in size but average some 10 feet square. These latter are each provided with two bedrecesses, measuring 6' 9" in length, while two square niches appear in the square in the chambers at the north-west and south-east corners. And, in front of the chambers, there is a continuous walk or terrace.¹