The largest city and the capital of Bihar, Patna shines with a glorious history. It was founded in 490 BCE by the king of Magadha and has since become one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities of the world, . Erstwhile known as Pataliputra, it was the capital of the Magadha empire. The Greek ethnographer and explorer, Megasthenes has chronicled his tryst with the Indian subcontinent in his famous travelogue ‘Indica’. He has documented in detail his experiences with Chandragupta Maurya and the empire he ruled from this historic city of Pataliputra. Patna served as the seat of power and the political & cultural centre of the Indian subcontinent during the Maurya and Gupta empires. Ashoka the Great contributed in making the city an important centre for power and Buddhism. Legend has it that the Emerald Buddha statue was also created in the city. The modern city of Patna is situated on the southern bank of river Ganges. It is currently the 5th fastest growing city in the country, that offers a variety of tourism delights, from an early morning stroll on the Gandhi Setu Bridge to a peek into history at the Patna museum. From a tryst with peacocks and tigers at the Patna Zoo to a blissful evening of Ganga Arti.
The modern day Patna offers a veriety of interesting sights and sounds to the traveller. Teeming with energy, delectable street food, colourful beautiful Madhubani paintings, museums, Oriental Libraries, shopping arcades, and myriad religious sites, the city has something for everyone.
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