ABSTRACT
In the final analysis, how does one assess the colonial legacy of the archaeology of Buddhism in post-Independence India and the ways in which it continues to be invoked? What are the complexities involved in the reworking of this heritage? is enquiry will be undertaken through two strands: one relates to identifications established in the colonial period and which have continued to be accepted and popularized since then; and the second is the extent to which archaeological discoveries over the last six decades have led to the making of new paradigms. We hope to establish this through a case-study of Nalanda and its identification as a university. We suggest that the archaeology of Buddhism is a promising field for interdisciplinary study that continues to be underresearched, though it can provide deeper insights into the history of Buddha dhamma in South Asia. e issues of significance include the horizontal linkages and networks of religious sites, which were often provided arbitrary boundaries in the colonial period; and the antecedents of these networks that played no role in the colonial understanding of Buddhism.
