By Afiur
June 07, 2026
Once one of the grandest Buddhist stupas in India, Amaravati was dismantled during colonial times, with sculptures scattered across museums worldwide.
Believed to be Krishna’s legendary city, ancient Dwarka is said to have submerged under the sea. Underwater ruins suggest a once thriving coastal civilisation.
The legendary capital of the Pandavas, Indraprastha is believed to lie beneath modern Delhi. The ancient city no longer exists in visible form, surviving mainly in epic literature.
Once the world’s greatest seat of learning, Nalanda housed thousands of monks and scholars. It was destroyed in the 12th century, and its vast libraries were burned, erasing centuries of knowledge.
One of India’s earliest universities, Odantapuri was said to rival Nalanda in stature. It was completely destroyed, and little survives beyond historical records.
The first Somnath temple was famed for its grandeur and wealth. It was destroyed multiple times over centuries; the structure seen today is a modern reconstruction.
Mentioned by Chinese traveller Xuanzang, Pushpagiri was an important Buddhist institution. It vanished over time, rediscovered only through archaeological remains centuries later.
A major rival to Nalanda, Vikramashila was a renowned Buddhist learning centre. It was demolished during medieval invasions, leaving only ruins behind.