|  An
immensely fertile, arched stretch of land along the bank of the Ganga, the history
and cultural heritage of modern day Patna, go back well over two millennia. Like
Delhi, Patna too had been the regal seat of governance for successive kingdoms,
since ancient times. With every significant change in the ancient political scenario,
the city was renamed. Thus, Kusumpura metamorphosed through Pushpapura, Pataliputra,
Azeemabad into the present day Patna. Patna is the capital of the state of Bihar.
|
| Kumrahar
Archaeological findings in this area establish Patna's claim to over a thousand
years of political glory - 600 BC to 600 AD. Very little of this grandeur remains
though, except for the remains of a huge Mauryan hall supported by 80 sandstone
pillars dating back to 300 BC. Golghar
Alarmed by the famine of 1770, captain John Garstin built this huge granary
for the British army, in 1786. The massive structure is 29 m high and the walls
are 3.6 m wide at the base. The winding stairway around this monument offers a
brilliant panoramic view of the city and the Ganga flowing by.
Har
Mandir Takht
Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs, was
born in 1660, in Patna. The Har Mandir Takht, one of the four sacred shrines of
the Sikhs, stands at this holy site. The original temple was built by Maharaja
Ranjit Singh, and contains belongings of the Guru and Sikh holy texts.
Martyr's Memorial
A memorial to seven freedom fighters
who sacrificed their lives in the Quit India Movement of August 1942, the Martyr's
Memorial is a modern sculpture facing the Secretariat, where they were shot in
their attempt to hoist the national flag.
Pathar
ki Masjid
Adjacent to Har
Mandir Sahib, on the bank of the Ganga, is this beautiful mosque built by Parwez
Shah, son of Jehangir, when he was the governor of Bihar.
Sher
Shah Suri Masjid
Sher Shah Suri
built this mosque in 1545 to commemorate his reign. Built in the Afghan architectural
style, it is one of the many beautiful mosques in Bihar, and one of the impressive
landmarks of Patna.
Khuda Baksh Oriental
Library
A magnificent one man
collection of rare Arabic and Persian manuscripts, Rajput and Mughal paintings
and an assortment of old and new books from the University of Cordoba, Spain,
it is one of the national libraries in India. Patna
Museum
The Patna Museum houses a First
World War cannon, metal and stone sculptures of the Mauryan and Gupta periods,
Buddhist sculptures and quaint terracotta figures. A 16 m long fossilised tree
is one of its special features.
Jalan
Museum
Built at the old site of
Sher Shah's fort, it has an excellent collection of jade, Chinese paintings, Mughal
glass and filigree carvings. It is a private collection, and prior permission
is required for a visit. Sadaqat
Ashram
The Ashram is the headquarters
of Bihar Vidyapeeth, a national university. India's first president, Dr. Rajendra
Prasad lived here after his retirement, and there is a small museum here showcasing
his personal belongings. |
| Air:
Patna is airlinked with Calcutta, New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Lucknow.
Rail: Patna is linked by rail with New Delhi, Mumbai,
Varanasi, Calcutta and many other major cities.
Road:
All - weather motorable roads connect Patna with the rest of Bihar. There are
also regular inter - state bus services. |
Winter: October to March.