| Patna
Situated on the banks of the river Ganga, has a history
which goes back well over two millennia . The city has
been the capital of many kingdoms, and each ruler gave
it a new name -from Kusumpura, Pushpapura, Patliputra
to its present day name. Starting with Ajatshatru, the
Magadha King, who just built a small fort here in Pataligram,
Patna was also the seat of power of Sher Shah Suri.
Patna is the starting point for those interested in
visiting places of Buddhist importance such as
Vaishali,
Rajgir, Gaya and
Bodhgaya,
as well as the southern regions of the state. Main attraction
of Patna is: Kumrahar which
lies about 5km from the city , has archaeological remains
which establish Patna's claim to over a thousand years
of political glory- from 600 B.C. to 600 A.D. Golghar,
lies in the center of the city and was built by Captain
John Garstin. Martyrs' Memorial,
facing the secretariat, is a memorial to seven freedom-fighters
who sacrificed their lives during the Quit India movement
in 1942. Patna Museum,
situated 2km from the railway station contains a World
War I period cannon, metal and stone sculptures of the
Mauryan and Gupta periods, Buddhist sculptures and terracotta
figures. Special attractions include the famous Didarganj
Yakshi of the 3rd century B.C. Jalan
Museum, was built at the old site of Sher Shah
Suri's fort. Sadaqat Ashram,
situated on the Patna-Danapur road, is the headquaters
of Bihar Vidya Peeth, a national university. Sher
Shah Suri
Masjid, 8km from railway station is a
mosque built in Afghan style.
Khuda Baksh Oriental Library, 6 km from railway
station , is a national library, which has a magnificent
collection of rare Arabian and Persian manuscripts,
and Rajput and Mughal paintings.
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