Vallabhipur which once held an important place as high as Nalanda in Bihar in the field of education is once again in the limelight. The phase-2 excavations at Vallabhipur in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district have revealed substantial structural remains and archaeological materials of historical value belonging to the period between the 5th and 8th century CE, indicating the significance of Vallabhipur as an important urban and cultural centre during the Maitraka period, officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) said. The town around 40 km from Bhavnagar had Valabhi University as an important centre of Buddhist learning and a port for international trade in Saurashtra. The recent excavations, commenced in November 2025 and continued till May 2026, were carried out at three locations – Thapnath Mahadev Hill, Town locality near Darbargarh, and the continuation of trenches at the protected site near Mafat Nagar.…