Patna

Patna is a very big city. It sits by the large Ganges River. This city is one of the oldest in the world.

Many kings ruled from this place a long time ago. It was once a center for art and learning. Many people live in Patna today. It is a busy place to visit.

The city is still growing fast.

Patna is the capital city of Bihar, a state in India.

It sits on the southern bank of the Ganges River. The city also sits near the Son, Gandak, and Punpun rivers.

Patna is one of the oldest cities in the world. A king founded it in 490 BCE. Back then, it was called Pataliputra. It was a great center for art and learning. Many famous scholars lived there. In the past, many ruling families held power in the city.

Today, Patna is a very large and busy place. About 2.35 million people lived there in 2018. It is one of the fastest growing cities in the world.

The city is a sacred place for many people. For example, the tenth Sikh Guru was born here. Many religious travelers visit the nearby holy sites. Patna is also a place where people do business. It is a major hub for trade and work in the region.

Patna is a very large and busy city in India.

It is the capital of the state of Bihar. The city sits mostly on the southern bank of the Ganges River. Other rivers like the Son, Gandak, and Punpun also flow through the area.

Patna is a very important place for many different religions. It is a sacred city for Sikhs because the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, was born there. Nearby, people visit holy sites for Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

This city has a very long and interesting history. A king named Ajatashatru founded the city in 490 BCE.

Back then, it was known by the name Pataliputra. It was a center for fine arts and learning for many people. Famous scholars and astronomers like Aryabhata lived there. The city was once the capital for several strong empires. These included the Mauryan and Gupta empires. During the Maurya period, around 300 BCE, about 400,000 people lived in the city.

Over many centuries, the city changed hands many times. In the middle ages, the Afghan leader Sher Shah Suri helped the city grow again. He built a fort and a town along the Ganges. Later, the Mughal Empire ruled the area. One emperor even renamed the city Azimabad in 1704. In the 1600s, many different countries came to trade there. The English East India Company set up a place for business in 1620. They traded things like silk, calico, and saltpetre.

Today, Patna is a place where many people live and work. In 2018, the population was about 2.35 million people. This makes it the 19th largest city in India. The city is also growing very quickly. A study found it is the 21st fastest growing city in the world.

The economy in the Patna district was quite strong in 2011. The amount of money made per person was higher than in many other Indian cities. In 2009, the World Bank said it was easy to start a business there.

Patna connects the past with the modern world. You can see old traditions and new buildings in the same place. For example, the city has many religious temples and sacred sites. At the same time, it has big airports and busy train stations.

The city also has many places for fun, like the Sanjay Gandhi Zoological Park.

Whether looking at old history or new growth, there is much to see. It remains a vital part of India today.

Patna is a major urban center located in the Indian state of Bihar.

It serves as the capital of Bihar and is the seat of the Patna High Court. The city is situated primarily on the southern bank of the Ganges River. It also straddles several other significant rivers, including the Son, Gandak, and Punpun.

This location has made the area a vital hub for transport and trade for thousands of years.

The city's history is deeply connected to the rise of ancient Indian empires. It was founded in 490 BCE by the king of Magadha, Ajatashatru.

He chose the site on the Ganges to better manage conflicts with the Licchavis of Vaishali. At that time, the city was known as Pataliputra. It served as the capital for several powerful dynasties. These included the Haryanka, Nanda, Mauryan, Shunga, Gupta, and Pala empires. During the Maurya period around 300 BCE, the population reached about 400,000 people.

Pataliputra was much more than just a political capital. It was a global center for fine arts and advanced learning. Many famous scholars and astronomers lived and worked there. These included figures such as Aryabhata, Vātsyāyana, and Chanakya. The Greek ambassador Megasthenes described it as the greatest city on earth during its peak. He noted that the city was both long and wide. Chinese traveler Fa Hien visited during the Gupta Empire between 399 and 414 CE. He recorded that the city was prosperous and filled with hospitals for the needy.

The name of the city has evolved through many different stages. Over 2,000 years, it has been called Pataligrama, Kusumapura, and Azimabad. Some believe the name Patna comes from Patan Devi, a Hindu goddess. Others suggest it comes from the Patli tree, which grew in abundance. Legend says King Putraka created the city for his queen, Patali. This gave the city the name Pataliputra, meaning "city of flowers."

The city is also a sacred site for Sikhs. The tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, was born here in Patna Sahib.

During the Middle Ages, the city saw periods of both decline and revival. After the fall of the Gupta Empire, the city faced uncertain times. In the 12th century, Bakhtiar Khilji captured the region and destroyed much of its prestige. However, the Afghan emperor Sher Shah Suri revived Patna in the mid-16th century. He built a fort and a town on the banks of the Ganges. Later, the Mughal Empire used the city as a commercial center. Emperor Akbar's historian noted that Patna was a center for paper, stone, and glass industries. It was also famous for high-quality rice known in Europe as Patna rice.

By the 17th century, Patna became a major site for international trade. The English East India Company established a factory there in 1620. They traded in goods like silk, calico, and saltpetre.

The Dutch and French also competed in this lucrative business. The city was a massive trading hub before Calcutta was founded. In 1912, following the partition of the Bengal Presidency, Patna became the capital of Bihar and Orissa Province. This transition helped solidify its role as a modern administrative center.

Today, Patna is one of India's most rapidly growing cities. According to the United Nations, the population was 2.35 million in 2018. This makes it the 19th largest city in India. The urban agglomeration is the 18th largest in the country.

Economically, the city shows strong indicators of growth. In 2011-12, the nominal GDP of the Patna District was approximately INR 63,176.55 crores. The GDP per capita was ₹1,08,657, which was high compared to many other Indian state capitals. A study by the City Mayors Foundation named it the 21st fastest growing city in the world.

It is also the 5th fastest growing city in India.