Introduction to city Patna - In Bihar
It is difficult to believe that this dusty and crowded
city could at any point of time have ruled the entire
Indian subcontinent. This is, however, the truth and there
are many interesting monuments here that remind you of
the rich past of the city. The capital of Bihar, Patna
is situated on the southern bank of the holy river Ganges.
It is a typical tropical city in the northern Gangetic
plains known for being the capital of mighty Magadh and
Mauryan empires. The history of the city can be traced
back to 2,500 years when it was founded on the confluence
of rivers Ganga, Sone, Punpun, and Gandak by the Magadhan
king Ajatshatru who named it Pataligram. In the days to
come, the city got names such as Kusumpur, Pataliputra,
and finally Patna. The glory of Patna started with Mauryan
emperor Chandragupta who made Pataliputra his capital
from where he ruled on entire Gangetic plains extending
to modern Afghanistan in the west. The city reached it
zenith during the reign of Emperor Ashoka, a follower
of Buddhism and the first of the great kings of India.
The city remained as the centre of power till the Gupta
period after which it continued to languish for a long
period. Revival came with Sher Shah’s accession to the
seat of Delhi and the city became the capital of Bengal
province. In the initial days of East India Company, Patna
served as the warehouse for hugely profitable opium business
with China.
Not much of the earlier glory can be seen but the recent
excavations at Kumhrar has unearthed some interesting
structures. Patna also serves as the main gateway to the
renowned Buddhist sites such as Bodh Gaya, Nalanda, Rajgir,
and Vaishali.
SightSeeing : Places to visit in
destination - Patna
Shershah Masjid was built when Sher Shah Suri,
an Afghan chieftain, became the ruler of Delhi. It is
a beautiful Masjid built in pure Afghani style. Kumhrar
is the place where excavations have unearthed some parts
of the Mauryan city of Pataliputra. Har Mandir Temple
is the second most important pilgrimage for the Sikhs
after the Golden Temple of Amritsar. Golghar, built
originally as a granary by the British, is now one of
the most popular tourist spots in the city. The Jalan
Museum has some very good collection of silver and
jade filigree work of the Mughal period. The Bihar
Institute of Handicraft and Design is doing some pioneering
work to revive old crafts of the state.
Excursions : Places nearby city -
Patna
Part of the famous Buddhist centre of East India, Patna
is the base for many important places around. Bodhgaya
is the most important Buddhist pilgrimage in the world
where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. Gaya
is a famous Hindu pilgrimage and related to many legends
in Hindu religious literature. Nalanda has the
distinction of being the place which at one point of time
was home to the largest university in the world. Vaishali
is a place of historical as well as religious importance
to the Buddhists as well as Jains. Sasaram was
the home of Sher Shah. Related to all the three ancient
religions of India, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, Rajgir
can be considered as the little Jerusalem of India. Sonpur,
situated on the confluence of Ganga and Gandak, hosts
the largest cattle fair in Asia.
Patna City Travel Guide |
Sight Seeing of Patna |
Excursion in Patna
Patna Travel Tours |
Patna Hotels |
Picture Gallery of Patna
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