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The glorious city Patna, nestled along the river Ganges is the capital of modern Bihar. The history of Patna traces back to 2nd century BC when it was known as Pataliputra and was the glamorous capital of great Maurya dynasty. The remains of glorious past are quite visible in the city along with the memory of the Mughals and the British. The city maintains an excellent balance between the ancient thread and the modern style as it is now one of the busiest and lively cities of India. It has been since time immemorial a major agricultural center of trade, its most active exports being grain, sugarcane, sesame, and rice. Patna is the gateway to the Buddhist and Jain pilgrim centers of Vaishali, Rajgir, Nalanda, Bodhgaya and Pawapuri, all located in the state of Bihar. The Mahatma Gandhi Setu over river Ganga stretches for 7.5 Km and is among the longest bridges in the world. Major Tourist Attractions in Patna :
The Khuda Baksh Oriental Library is an indispensable destination in Patna for preserving rare manuscripts, Hindu and Buddhist terracotta and stone and bronze sculptures. Gol Ghar, shaped like bee hive and built as a granary, is another historic building worth exploration. Other important tourist attractions are Museum, Harmandir, Kumhrar, Martyrs Memorial, Jalan Museum, Pathar Ki Masjid, Agam Kuan, Biological Park, Birla Mandir, Nawab Shahid-Ka-Maqbara, Pachim Darwaza, Padri-Ki-Haveli. Golghar :
The massive, beehive structured building was built to store grains, following a terrible famine in 1786. The 29 meter high building presents scenic views of river Ganga and Patna city. This granary was never used for the desired purpose. Museum :
The Patna city museum is a collection of metal and stone sculptures of the Maurya and Gupta Periods, terracota figurines and archaeological findings from different sites in Bihar. The museum has the Ashes of the Buddha, image of Yakshi (3rd century BC), and a 16 meter long fossilized tree. Har Mandir :
A sacred shrine of Sikhs, this is the second-most auspicious Gurudwara in India. The Gurudwara was built by Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th guru of the Sikhs. Built in white marble, with kiosks on the terraces, it consecrates the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh. Khuda Baksh Oriental Library :
One of the national libraries of India, it has a rare and exclusive collection of Persian and Arabic manuscripts. It also contains paintings pertaining to the Rajput and Mughal rules in India. A unique and exclusive collection, One-inch wide Quran is also kept here. Martyrs Memorial :
The memorial in front of the old secretariat, shows seven young men facing the bullets and sacrificing their lives during the '1942 Quit India movement'. How to Reach Air - The Loknayak Jaiprakash International Airport, Patna is well connected to all the major Indian cities. The airport is 10 km away from the city center. Rail - Patna is well connected to the rest of India via railways network. Direct trains to major cities of India are frequently available. Road - Patna is well linked by roads. Bus services are easily available for places within the state as well as to other states. National highways like 2, 31, 28, 23, 30, and 33 connect the state from places all over India. Distance of some of the major places in the state from Patna are Sonepur (25 km), Vaishali (55 km), Nalanda (90 km), Gaya (97 km), Bodhgaya (117 km) and Rajgir (102 km). . |
