As one of the most revered seats of learning for Buddhist scholars, Nalanda continues to evoke a sense of enigma and reverence. It is based on this premise that author Manna Bahadur presents her second novel, The Curse of Nalanda. The narrative, a juxtaposition of past and present, is based around the historic Nalanda University and its subsequent ransacking and destruction. Intersected with this narrative is the story of two girls - Devahuti and Chandni - belonging to two completely different