Patna

Ariel view of Patna, with the river Ganges in background.

Patna (Hindi:Paṭanā), historically known as Pāṭaliputra, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Bihar.

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.

The modern city of Patna is mainly on the southern bank of the river Ganges. The city also straddles the rivers Son, Gandak and Punpun. The city is approximately 35 kilometres (22 mi) in length and 16 to 18 kilometres (9.9 to 11.2 mi) wide.

As of 2018, Patna had a population of 2.35 million making it the 19th largest city in India.

One of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world, Patna was founded in 490 BCE by the king of Magadha. Ancient Patna, known as Pataliputra, was the capital of the Magadha Empire. Pataliputra also served as the seat of power, and political and cultural centre of the Indian subcontinent during the Maurya and Gupta empires.

With the fall of the Gupta Empire, Patna lost its prominence. The British revived it again in the 17th century as a centre of international trade. In 1912, Patna became the capital of Bihar and Orissa Province.

Further reading

• Patna, Wikipedia