*🛡️Vikramshila University*

♟️Vikramshila University (also called Vikramashila Mahavihara) was one of the most important centers of Buddhist learning in ancient India, alongside Nalanda and Odantapuri.

*💎1. Historical Background*

*♟️Founded by:-* King Dharampala of the Pala Dynasty

*♟️Period:-* Around late 8th or early 9th century CE

*♟️Location:-* Present-day Antichak village, Bhagalpur district, Bihar, India

*♟️Purpose:-* Established to improve the quality of Buddhist education and to counter the decline in Nalanda’s academic standards.

*💎2. Academic Reputation*

♟️Known for Tantric Buddhism (Vajrayana) studies.

♟️Specialized in philosophy, logic, grammar, metaphysics, and Buddhist rituals.

♟️Attracted scholars from Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and Southeast Asia.

*💎3. Structure & Organization*

♟️Spread over a large campus with more than 100 rooms for monks.

♟️Had a central stupa, surrounded by a large square monastery.

♟️Six gates, each guarded by scholar-monks.

♟️At its peak, housed about 1,000 monks and 100 teachers.

*💎4. Famous Scholars*

♟️Atīśa Dīpaṅkara Śrījñāna – a great Buddhist scholar who later traveled to Tibet and revitalized Buddhism there.

♟️Ratnākaraśānti – renowned philosopher and poet.

♟️Naropa – Indian Buddhist master, teacher of Tibetan translator Marpa.

*💎5. Decline*

♟️Destroyed around 1193 CE by Bakhtiyar Khilji during the Muslim invasions, the same period Nalanda was also destroyed.

♟️The ruins were buried under earth for centuries until rediscovery in the late 19th century.

*💎6. Present Status*

♟️Excavated remains are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

♟️You can still see the monastery layout, stupa base, and ornamental brickwork.

♟️Plans have been proposed to revive Vikramshila as a modern university.

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Dawki Or Umngot River Meghalaya

Popularly known as Dawki river, the Umngot river in Meghalaya is undisputedly the cleanest river in Asia with its crystal clear water. It originates from the Eastern Shillong Peak, which is located 1,800 m above sea level.

The river is in the village of Mawlynnong ("God's Own Garden") in Meghalaya, close to India’s border with Bangladesh, which is touted as Asia’s Cleanest Village.

Alongside cleanliness, the village has also achieved a rare feat — a 100% literacy rate.

It acts as a natural divide between Jaintia and Khasi hills, before finally flowing into Bangladesh.

@upscprelimszone

Bonn Convention: The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, also known as the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) or the Bonn Convention, is an international agreement that aims to conserve migratory species within their migratory ranges. India is a signatory to this Convention.