Patna Situated on the banks of the river Ganga, has a history which
goes back well over two millennia . The city has been the capital
of many kingdoms, and each ruler gave it a new name -from Kusumpura,
Pushpapura, Patliputra to its present day name. Starting with
Ajatshatru, the Magadha King, who just built a small fort here
in Pataligram, Patna was also the seat of power of Sher Shah
Suri. Patna is the starting point for those interested in visiting
places of Buddhist importance such as Vaishali, Rajgir,
Gaya and Bodhgaya, as well as the
southern regions of the state.
Main attraction of Patna is: Kumrahar which
lies about 5km from the city , has archaeological remains which
establish Patna's claim to over a thousand years of political
glory- from 600 B.C. to 600 A.D. Golghar, lies
in the center of the city and was built by Captain John Garstin. Martyrs' Memorial, facing the secretariat,
is a memorial to seven freedom-fighters who sacrificed their
lives during the Quit India movement in 1942. Patna
Museum, situated 2km from the railway station contains
a World War I period cannon, metal and stone sculptures of the
Mauryan and Gupta periods, Buddhist sculptures and terracotta
figures.
Special attractions include the famous Didarganj Yakshi of the 3rd century B.C. Jalan Museum, was built at the old site of Sher Shah Suri's fort. Sadaqat Ashram, situated on the Patna-Danapur road,
is the headquaters of Bihar Vidya Peeth, a national university. Sher Shah Suri Masjid, 8km from railway station
is a mosque built in Afghan style. Khuda Baksh Oriental
Library, 6 km from railway station, is a national library,
which has a magnificent collection of rare Arabian and Persian
manuscripts, and Rajput and Mughal paintings |