About Patna
Patna the capital of Bihar ranks amongst the fastest developng cities of India. The capital city has a rich cultural and historical heritage dating back to 600 B.C. Patna is at an altitude of 53m above sea level and is situated on the southern banks of river Ganga. Once known as Pataliputra or Patalipattan it was a famous center of learning. Today it is the principal administrative, industrial and educational centre of Bihar. It is the second most populous city in Eastern India.
This city has a strong Buddhist and Sikh connection. Patna is a sacred city for Hindus, Jains, Buddist and Muslims alike. Everyyear thousands of Hindu, Jain and Buddhist pilgrims flock Patna for pilgrimage. It is a birth place of Guru Gobind Singh, the last Sikh guru . Gurudwara Har Mandir Sahib is considered as one of the most important Takts in Sikhism. Patna is home to the biggest mosque in Bihar, Pathar ki Masjid. Sher Shah Suri Masjid is also situated in Patna. One can visit Padri Ki Haveli, High Court, Golghar and Secretariat Building for a glimpse of British architecture.With its blend of historical and modern places, Patna has something for everyone.
Patna: Past & Present
Patna, the capital city of Bihar is one of the oldest inhabited places in the world (about 3000years ago). Patna has been an intrinsic part of ancient India’s two great empires - the Mauryas and the Guptas. It and was the capital of the Magadha Empire for over 1000 years (600BCE to600CE). Patna has been an imperial metropolis for many centuries and it happens to be among the oldest capital cities of the world. Also known as Pataliputra it was considered a center for fine arts and learning .Its history can be traced backup to the 6th century B.C. Over the years the capital city was renamed by the reigning kings, and thus Patna was known by many names-Pataligram, Kusumpura, Palibothra, Pushpapura, Pataliputra, Azeemabad.In the mid 12th century Patna became a part of the Delhi Sultanate, but by then it had lost itsprominence as the learning and arts center of India. During the reign of Sher Shah Suri in the16th century, the city returned to its former glory, which can be experienced in the present day Patna. TheBritish took over Patna and found it to be an ideal regional capital. The old city was extended by the British and was called Bankipore. In 1620 they established a factory in Patna for the purchase and storage of calico and silk. During the British rule, Patna was a prominent commercial and trading hub in the eastern Indian subcontinent. The Patna Secretariat and the Patna High Court are an example of British architecture that can be found in today’s Patna. Patna was home to two of the important freedom struggle movements, namely the Champaran movement against the Indigo plantation and the Quit India Movement in 1942. Today Patna Stands as one of the most urbanized city in India and has all the infrastructural facility giving it a tag of metropolitan city in India.
Tourist Attractions in Patna
Patna is a sacred city for Hindus, Jains, Buddist and Muslims alike. Every year, thousands of Hindu, Jain and Buddist pilgrims flock Patna for pilgrimage. The city is home to famous Gurudwaras, Mosques and Temples. Glimpses of the Afgan architecture and British architecture can be seen by visiting famous monuments of those era. Various archaeologically and historically important sites like the ruins of Asokan Pataliputra at the Kumhrar and Agam Kuan and relics of Mauryan art at Didarganj Yakshi gives areflection of the bygone era of the Mauryan empire. Apart from these Patna is also flooded with modern shopping malls, libraries, boating clubs and cinema houses. Patna is dotted with numerous hangout destinations.
Some of the popular tourist destination in and around Patna are mentioned below:
- Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan
- Har Mandir Takht/ Takht Sri Patna Sahib
- Gandhi Maidan
- Gandhi Sangrahalaya
- Golghar
- Martyr's Memorial
- Funtasia Water Park
- Patna Museum
- Patna High Court
- Planetarium
- Padri Ki Haveli
- Gandhi Setu
- Pathar ki Masjid
Population of Patna
Patna City is a district headquarter of Patna district. As of 2011 it is the most populous district of BiharWith population of about 5,772,804. The population density is about1,803 inhabitants per square kilometre (4,670/sq mi). Patna’s sex ratio is 892 females for every1000 males, and the literacy rate of Patna is 72.47%.
Geography & Climate of Patna
The city is spread over an area of 3,202 square kilometers (1,236sq mi). Patna located on the southern bank of the Ganges. It straddles the rivers Sone, Punpun and Gandak . The city is approximately 35 km long and 16 km to 18 km wide. Patna district comprises 6 Sub-divisions namely- Patna Sadar, Patna City, Barh, Danapur, Masaurhi, Paliganj. The agricultural products grown here include: Paddy, Maize, Pulses, Wheat and oil seeds. Cashcrops such as vegetables and water-melons are also grown in Diara belt.The best time to visit Patna is from October to March. Avg. annual temperature of Patna is 26 °C. In summer season, the temperature could go up till 40°C and in winter it could drop till 10°C. Avg. summer temperature is 30 °C.Summer is experienced during the months of March, April and May and winter is during November, December, January and February.Avg. winter temperature of Patna remains at 17 °C Patna receives moderate rain fall during the month of June, July August, September and October. Read More about Geography of Patna
Events/ Festivals in Patna
Transportation in Patna
Being the state capital Patna is well connected with the rest of India. The Patna airport is widely used by travelers touring Patna as well as nearby places like Bodhgaya and Nalanda. Plenty of transportation from the airport is also available. Bihar State Road Transport Corporation runs tourist buses on an all popular routes. Patna is well connected with all the major Indian cities via rail too. From Patna Junction railway station you can catch train for most of the major cities in India including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Amritsar, Guahati etc. Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Airport is one of the major airports in Patna. The city has has a good road transport network. National Highways 19,30,31,and 83 connects the city to other parts of India. It has regular bus services to the all the nearby tourist spots.
Taxis are available throughout the city.Most of the hotels can easily arrange one for you. Tourist Taxis are also available for traveling to distant places of interest near Patna. Like most Indian cities, Patna has auto-rickshaws, cycle rickshaws, and tongas plying the road. These can be used for short distance travel with in the city. BSRTC (Bihar State Road Transport Corporation) also operates city bus connecting local destinations. Privately owned mini buses can also be seen plying in Patna.
Shopping in Patna
There are plenty of shopping options in Patna.The markets here offer a wide variety of items that are value for money.You can pick up souvenirs, Madhubani paintings, handicrafts, wallhangings, bead-jewelry, leather goods, etc from the local markets. You can also shop for bamboo and cane work, stonepottery, leather goods and wooden stools. Most of these artifacts have their orgin in the nativeart forms of the state of Bihar The applique work on fabric, are a rage with female travellers and these are available in sarees, dress material etc..These articles are a fine example of the fine craftsmanship of the artisans of the state. The popular shopping markets of Patna.are Maurya Lok Complex, Patna Market and Hathua Market. Patna has its share of shopping malls too. P&M Mall and Vasundhara Metro Mall are few of the new shopping destinations in Patna.Patna at a glance
Country : IndiaState : Bihar
District : Patna
Languages : Hindi; Magadhi, Bhojpuri, Maithili, Urdu
Telephone code : 0612
Location/ Coordinates: Latitude: 25.611°N ; Longitude 85.144°E
Climate: Humid subtropical climate
Avg. annual temperature : 26 °C (79 °F)
Avg. summer temperature : 30 °C (86 °F)
Avg. winter temperature : 17 °C (63 °F)