Patna at a Glance

Introduction Patna is the capital city of Bihar. It is situated on the southern bank of the Ganges; the holy river of India. The city is spread approximately 25 Km long and 10 Km wide. Patna is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world. It has witnessed almost all the historical ups and down that the country has gone through till date. Ancient Patna also known as Pataliputra was the capital of Magadha Empire. The city has traditionally been the center of learning and art in the region. History The history of Patna goes back to 490 BCE, when Ajatashatru, the king of Magadha, shifted his capital from Rajagaha to the bank of Ganges. He fortified the area made it the capital of Magadha empire. With the rise of the Mauryan Empire, Patna rose to the power center of the Sub continent. Under the kingship of Ashoka, the city got a revamp from wooden structures to stone and concrete structure. Chinese scholar Fa Hein visited the place in around 399-414 BC. His travelogue has vivid description of magnificence of the city at his time. After the decline of Mauryan Empire, The Gupta Dynasty took the reins of the city and Sunga, Pala and Suri were the subsequent rulers of old Patna. In the medieval period Bakhtiar Khilji captured Bihar in the 12th century AD plundered it to the ruins. The city lost its prestige as the political and cultural hub of India. Sher Shah Suri revived the prestige of Patna in the 16th Century. In the context of modern times Patna played a major role in the Indian independence struggle. Dr. Sachidanand Sinha, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Bihar Vibhuti Anugrah Narayan Sinha etc. were some of the freedom fighters flourished on the soil of Patna. Modern Day Patna Today Patna is an important commercial center in the region. Patna has recorded the highest per capita gross district domestic product of Rs 31,441 in Bihar which even well ahead than the most of the metropolitan cities in India. It is fifth fastest growing city in India and The World Bank has ranked Patna second best city to start a business after Delhi. Right from the ancient time Patna has rich socioeconomic background. The modern infrastructure, wide spread roads, highly improved transpiration system, flyovers etc. has made city at par with any other developed metropolitan in the country. The economy of Patna largely depends on its agricultural yields. It is a major agricultural center of trade. Grain, sugarcane, sesame, rice etc. are extensively exported in all parts of the world. Services sector has also witnessed steep growth in the city. Several multinational companies are increasingly being attracted for the investment in the city.