Patna capital of Bihar is an ancient city that sprawls along the south bank of the Ganges River. The state capital, it’s home to Bihar Museum, a contemporary landmark exhibiting bronze sculptures and old coins from the region. Nearby, Indo-Saracenic–style Patna Museum displays a casket believed to contain the Buddha’s ashes. Close to the river, the Golghar is a domed colonial granary overlooking the city. The original name of Patna was Pataliputra or Patalipattan and its history makes a start from the century 600 B.C.
Patna serves as the seat of Patna High Court. One of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world,[8] Patna was founded in 490 BCE by the king of Magadha. Ancient Patna, known as Patliputra or Pataliputra, was the capital of the Magadh Empire through Haryanka, Nanda, Mauryan, Shunga, Gupta and Pala dynasties. Pataliputra was a seat of learning and fine arts. It was home to many astronomers and scholars including Aryabhata, Vātsyāyana and Chanakya. The name Patna has undergone many changes at its earliest stages like Pataligram, Kusumpur, Patliputra, Azimabad etc., ultimately terminating to the present one.
The Buddhist, Hindu and Jain pilgrimage centres of Vaishali, Rajgir, Nalanda, Bodh Gaya and Pawapuri are nearby and Patna City is a sacred city for Sikhs as the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh was born here. The modern city of Patna is mainly on the southern bank of the river Ganges. The city also straddles the rivers Sone, Gandak and Punpun. The capital of Maurya, Shunga, Gupta, and Magadha empire Patna has played important roles ever since, whether in business, education, culture, sports, art, literature.
Patna has long been a major agricultural hub and centre of trade. Patna is one of the fastest growing city in the world and in India, an education hub, Patna is also emerging as an IT based economy. With many prominent IT companies setting up offices in the city. The major business districts of the city are Bander Bagicha, Exhibition Road, Gandhi Maidan Marg, Frazer Road, Indrapuri,and Maurya Lok where tourist and locals can buy anything and everything. Patna has many buildings adorned with Indo-Islamic and Indo-Saracenic architectural motifs.
Several well-maintained major buildings from the colonial period have been declared “heritage structures. The local cuisine of Patna is very popular. Some well known dishes of Bihari cuisine include sattu paratha, “sattu ka sharbat, chokha, fish curry, Bihari kebab, postaa-dana kaa halwaa, malpua, dal pitha, kheer makhana and thekua/khajuria (a type of snack. Street foods such as Samosa, Chaat, jalebi, litti chokha, phuchka,, South Indian and Chinese cuisine are favourite among people of Patna.
Besides these Bihari kebabs, litti chokha, Bihari boti, Bihari chicken masala, fish curry and posta-dana ka halwav are also famous.. Thekua or khajuria or tikri is one of the most popular sweet snack, a must during Chhath puja.. Chhath. Durga Puja, held in September–October, is Patna’s important festival; it is an occasion for glamorous celebrations. Among the city’s other festivals, are Saraswati Puja, Eid, Holi, Christmas, Vishwakarma Puja, Makar Sankranti, Raksha Bandhan and Rath Yatra. Patna is home to many tourist attractions, Well connected by air, road, rail and water there are numerous paces worth visiting in the city.
Patna is a city which is blessed with some of the most beautiful and historical attractions which reflects the heritage of the place. From the Golghar to the Bihar Museum and monasteries these places gives a tour of the old Patliputra. there are numerous parks, building and locations that are worth visiting in Patna. Night life in Patna is centered around malls restaurants, bars and pubs that have sprung up in the last few years and are a major attraction for tourist. Best time for tourism in Patna is from August to February. There are numerous religious sites associated with various religions that are worth visiting and attract devotees there are numerous costly, mid sized and budget hotels and lodges in Patna that offer tourists comfortable places to stay.
