Naveen Sharma who is a software engineer in Bangalore met the Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and found complete support for his plans.

''The way we worked was amazing. Not even in a single place did we have to pay bribe, not even a single place,'' said Naveen Sharma.

In 1915, archaeologists began excavating the ruins. Now nearly 100 years later leaders in Asia are trying to excavate a future vision for Nalanda on reviving it as a symbol of Asia's prestige affluence, influence and intellectual ability.

Drawn by Nalanda's legacy of Buddhist learning China, Japan, Singapore and others want to help India rebuild an international university at Nalanda. They are willing to fund it. A consortium has already been floated.

Eminent names like Prof Amartya Sen are in the mentor group and the latest meeting has been held in New York.

But in Nalanda at the site where the new university is meant to be built the acquisition of land has run into resistance.

''This towel costs Rs. 40, but sold at Rs. 10. That's our situation. This is our home. And we are being paid Rs. 10,000 per acre, land that actually costs Rs. 50,000. Is that acceptable?'' said a local.

The resistance boiled over into violence. When Chief Minister Nitish Kumar went to inaugarate the site stones were pelted.

But Nitish is unfazed. He says these are logistical problems which will be ironed out.

What he may find more difficult to change is the erosion of learning in modern-day Bihar.

When NDTV asked an onlooker as to what was the place he came to visit he simply replied that it a place to spend time. When he was further asked what was behind him the ignorant man said that it seemed to be somebody's house.

Amid such ignorance the Nalanda museum with its educative value is a symbol of hope in the state.