BAKHTIARPUR : Story of the Destruction of The World’s intellectual Capital NALANDA

Author Pankaj Lochan

Bakhtiyarpur is not just the story of a name — it is the story of a forgotten question, buried in childhood and rediscovered through a lifetime’s quest. This is the author’s first historical fiction and his 12th book, the second in his Sanatana Education Series.

Set against the backdrop of Magadha’s ancient splendor and its devastating fall, Bakhtiyarpur blends personal memoir, oral history, and historical narrative into a compelling exploration of civilizational amnesia. Through vivid storytelling, it brings alive the destruction of great centers of knowledge like Nalanda and Odantapuri, and reflects on how — even today — a railway station stands in the name of the very invader, barely a few kilometers from these ruins.

The book challenges readers to reflect on identity, memory, and the invisible threads that bind us to our past — and to ask what it means to truly remember.