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very fertile arched stretch of land along the bank of the
Ganga, the history and 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. Even today it is the capital city of the
state of Bihar.
As each ruler ascended in power and established dynastic
glory, he gave his capital a new name. Thus the ancient
Kusumpura metamorphosed through Pushpapura, Pataliputra,
Azeemabad and now into Patna, a continuous history ranging
from 6th century BC to present times - a record claimed by
few cities in the world.
It was Ajatshatru the Magadha king who first built a small
fort in Pataligram on the bank of the Ganga in the 6th
century BC, which later blossomed into the ancient glory
still to be seen in the neighbouring archaeological sites at
Kumrahar, Bhiknapahari, Agamkuan, Bulandi Bagh and Kankar
Bagh.
Pataliputra dominated the political fortunes of the whole of
north India between 6th century BC and 5th century AD, a
fact established by archaeological excavations. After
centuries of being eclipsed, Sher Shah Suri returned the
city to its former glory and established the present Patna
in the 16th century.
After the decline of the Mughals, the British too found
Patna a convenient regional capital and built a modern
extension to this ancient city and called it Bankipore. It
was in Gandhi Maidan in this area that Mahatma Gandhi held
his prayer meetings.
Kumrahar
Archaeological findings in this area establish Patna's claim
to over a thousand years of political glory - 600 BC to 600
AD, and then again, from the 16th century onwards, spanning
the rule of several dynasties. Very little of this grandeur
remains though, except the remnants of a huge Mauryan hall
supported by 80 sandstone pillars dating back to 400- 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 29m high and the walls are 3.6m wide at the
base. The stairway winding around this monument offers a
magnificent panoramic view of the city and the Ganga flowing
by.
Har Mandir Takht
It was in Patna, far from Punjab, where Guru Gobind Singh,
the tenth Guru of the Sikhs who consolidated the warrior
sect, was born in 1660. 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. As a
sign of reverence, it is also called Patna Sahib by the
Sikhs.
Martyr's Memorial
A memorial to seven freedom fighters who sacrificed their
lives in the "Quit India" movement of August 1942, it 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, this beautiful mosque was
built by Parwez Shah, son of Jehangir, when he was the
governor of Bihar. Situated on the bank of the Ganga, it is
also called Saif Khan's mosque, Chimmi Ghat mosque and Sangi
Masjid.
Sher Shah Suri Masjid
Sher Shah Suri built this mosque in 1545 to commemorate his
reign. Built in Afghan architectural style, it is one of the
many beautiful mosques in Bihar and a landmark in Patna.
Khuda Baksh Oriental Library
A magnificent one man collection of rare Arabic and Persian
manuscripts, Rajput and Mughal paintings, assortment of old
books and new books from the university of Cordoba, Spain,
it is one of the national libraries of India now.
Patna Museum
The museum contains a First World War cannon, metal and
stone sculpture of Maurya and Gupt periods, Buddhist
sculpture, terracotta figures. The famous Didarganj Yakshi
of 3rd century BC and a 16m long fossilised tree are some of
its special possessions.
Jalan Museum
Built at the old site of Sher Shah's fort, it has an
excellent collection of jade, Chinese paintings, Mughal
glass and silver filigree carvings. It is a private
collection and visitors need prior permission.
Sadaqat Ashram
It 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 displaying his personal belongings.
Maner
About 29 Km from Patna, Bari Dargah, is the cenotaph of the
Sufi Saint Hazrat Makhdoom Yahiya Maner. The tomb of his
disciple Shah Daulat is also here. It is an important
pilgrimage place for Muslims during the annual urs.
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