An Israeli Traveller, Nalanda, and the Search for India

The below is a deeply intellectual conversation between Prof Shrikant Singh, Head, Department of English, Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, and a noted Buddhist scholar, and Mr Tal Tennee of Israel. The conversation took place during the stay or Mr Tennee at the Hotel Nalanda Guest House. A video of this conversation may also be found on Facebook (check out the official page of the Hotel Nalanda Guest House).

On 13th June, 2026 morning, at Hotel Nalanda Guest House,Nalanda  I had the pleasure of meeting a young Israeli traveller, Mr. Tal Tenne. As he sat enjoying his breakfast, a conversation began that soon revealed an intriguing story. Trained in psychology, Tal has been returning to India repeatedly for the last twenty-one years. The depth of his attachment to this country can be gauged from the fact that despite travelling extensively across the world, he continues to find his way back here.
As our conversation unfolded, it naturally turned toward the Himalayas. Mr.Tal spoke of India’s mountain regions with visible admiration. Indeed, when he attempted to describe the beauty of the Himalayas, words seemed almost inadequate. He told me that he had visited the famous Alps of Europe, yet, in his view, they could not compare with the Himalayas.  “The Himalayas are not merely a mountain range,” he remarked. “They are an experience.” Their immensity, silence, and spiritual aura, he felt, penetrate deep into the human soul. The valleys of the Himalayas possess a rare natural beauty. Mountains, forests, rivers, and ever-changing skies combine to create landscapes that resist verbal description. He also observed that the towns and settlements of the Himalayan region appear calmer and more balanced than many urban centres elsewhere. One feels, he said, as though one has moved closer to nature and, perhaps, closer to the essential truths of life itself.
As one gradually ascends from the plains to higher elevations, he continued, there emerges a distinct feeling of approaching a sacred realm. The air changes, the rhythm of life changes, and even the people seem to embody a simplicity and serenity rarely encountered elsewhere. His words immediately awakened a memory of my own. On many Sunday mornings, I visit Griddhakuta Hill in Rajgir. Each time I reach its heights, I experience the sensation of leaving behind the noise, congestion, and pollution of ordinary existence and entering another world altogether. Sitting in the pure morning air and practising pranayama often feels like a purification of both body and mind. At such moments, it becomes easier to understand why countless sages and seekers of ancient India retreated to the Himalayas. In the presence of nature, one is able to hear oneself more clearly.
Mr.Tal then shared another revealing experience. On one occasion, instead of coming to India, he travelled to New Zealand. Yet soon after arriving, he felt as though he had merely entered another version of Europe—a highly developed world of material prosperity, economic success, and consumer culture. Laughing, he recalled, “Within a few days I realised I had come to the wrong place. I left and returned to India.”
Speaking about Western societies, he observed that anyone who does not place wealth and economic success at the centre of life risks being regarded as foolish or eccentric. India, he acknowledged, certainly values prosperity, but life here is still not measured exclusively in monetary terms. Family, relationships, spirituality, and community continue to hold significance. At this point, he gently turned the conversation toward the rural life of Nalanda. He suggested that amidst the glitter of large cities and the relentless pressures of market-driven existence, people often lose their inner peace and balance. Places such as Nalanda, however, still preserve something fundamentally human. People have time for one another. Relationships matter. Life is not judged solely through economic achievement.
After a brief pause, he said thoughtfully:
“Perhaps this is the soul of India. This is what people like us come here to experience.”
The conversation then shifted to Indian cuisine, and a distinct sparkle appeared in his eyes. Tal spoke enthusiastically about Indian food. He particularly admired South Indian breakfasts, while favouring North Indian cuisine for main meals.
With a smile, he remarked, “Believe me, even a simple aloo paratha here tastes better than the sophisticated parathas served in many five-star hotels.” He went on to describe Indian cooks as alchemists of flavour, capable of understanding the essence of each ingredient and combining ordinary elements into extraordinary culinary creations. In his view, Indian food is not merely nourishment; it is a celebration of culture, memory, and human warmth. The astonishing diversity and richness of Indian cuisine, he admitted, constitute yet another reason for his repeated returns to the country.  He also pointed out that India remains relatively affordable for living, travelling, and learning. This accessibility has allowed him to revisit the country year after year. For him, India is not merely a tourist destination but a continuing journey of discovery, where every visit offers new lessons and new insights.
His reflections reminded me of a memoir by the celebrated writer Ruskin Bond. Bond once wrote that he travelled to England to improve his command of English and stayed with relatives who treated him with great affection and hospitality. Yet within a short time he found himself restless. He kept asking what it was that he had left behind in India that continued to call him back.
After much reflection, Bond realised that English life often appeared formal and reserved, whereas Indian life possessed a warmth and openness of its own. In India, strangers rarely remain strangers for long. A brief conversation is often enough for people to begin sharing their joys and sorrows. Sitting together over tea, sharing simple snacks, talking for hours without any particular purpose—these seemingly small moments form the essence of Indian social life. Perhaps that was the invisible force that drew Bond back.
Listening to Tal, I felt that something similar was drawing him toward India again and again.
When the conversation turned to the ruins of Nalanda, Mr.Tal confessed that he felt a sense of sadness. Once among the greatest centres of learning in the world, Nalanda now survives only in fragments and ruins. Yet almost immediately another thought occurred to him. “Nalanda teaches us,” he said, “that material greatness can vanish. Buildings may collapse. Institutions may disappear. But knowledge endures.” The structures of Nalanda may no longer stand, but its intellectual legacy travelled far beyond India, illuminating countries across Asia and beyond. Even today, that legacy continues to inspire. Nalanda stands as a living reminder that intellectual and spiritual wealth possess a permanence that material wealth can never achieve.
During this discussion, Mr.Tal asked an interesting question: “Why was such a great university established here?”
I replied that if ancient Magadha were imagined as a vast garden of knowledge, then Nalanda would have been its most radiant and fragrant flower. Located near the ancient capital of Rajgir, Nalanda was closely associated with the lives of both the Buddha and Mahavira. The Buddha was particularly fond of the mango groves of Nalanda and visited the area frequently, delivering numerous discourses there. Consequently, the region had already become fertile ground for spiritual and intellectual pursuits. Furthermore, Nalanda stood along an important route connecting the ancient capital of Pataliputra with other regions of northern and eastern India. This convergence of knowledge, culture, commerce, and spirituality created ideal conditions for the emergence of a university whose reputation would eventually spread throughout Asia.
In the course of our discussion, the subject of the Buddha naturally arose. Mr.Tal asked whether Buddhism and Hinduism had been fundamentally opposed to one another. I explained that Buddhism emerged from within the broader Indian intellectual tradition. The Buddha enriched that tradition by offering a new perspective. He inspired individuals to believe that through wisdom, effort, and disciplined practice they could shape their own destinies. In this sense, Buddhism expanded and deepened the intellectual heritage of India.
Toward the end of our conversation, Mr.Tal asked what constitutes a meaningful and fulfilling life. I replied that there was a time when personal success alone was not regarded as the foundation of life in our society. People shared one another’s joys and sorrows. Responsibilities were collective rather than purely individual. Wealth was necessary, certainly, but it served life rather than ruled it.
Mr.Tal agreed wholeheartedly. He expressed reservations about excessively materialistic visions of life and voiced his admiration for those elements of Indian culture that regard human beings not merely as consumers, but as social, moral, and spiritual beings.
After we parted, a thought lingered in my mind for a long time.
Thousands of foreign travellers like Tal come to India every year. They do not come merely to see monuments, temples, mountains, or tourist attractions. They come in search of an India whose spirit still resides in relationships, community, spirituality, nature, and a balanced way of life.
The irony, perhaps, is that we Indians sometimes live amidst this spirit without fully recognising it. Travellers such as  Mr.Tal reminds us of the value of our own traditions, our own heritage, and our own cultural wealth. Perhaps this is India’s greatest strength. It inspires not only its own people but also visitors from distant lands to look inward and rediscover the deeper meanings of life. That is why India is not merely a country; it is an enduring experience. And places such as Nalanda remain living embodiments of that experience—where history, knowledge, nature, and human fellowship continue to stand together, hand in hand, across generations.

If you also want to explore Nalanda, the ancient city of knowledge, and places around, like Rajgir, Pawapuri, and even Bodh Gaya, Hotel Nalanda Guest House is your preferable destination. Located at the centre of Nalanda, this hotel makes your experience of exploring these spiritual places smooth and comfortable.