It is difficult to believe that this dusty and crowded city
could at any point of time have ruled the entire Indian subcontinent.
This is, however, the truth and there are many interesting
monuments here that remind you of the rich past of the city.
The capital of Bihar, Patna is situated on the southern bank
of the holy river Ganges. It is a typical tropical city in
the northern Gangetic plains known for being the capital
of mighty Magadh and Mauryan empires. The history of the
city can be traced back to 2,500 years when it was founded
on the confluence of rivers Ganga, Sone, Punpun, and Gandak
by the Magadhan king Ajatshatru who named it Pataligram.
In the days to come, the city got names such as Kusumpur,
Pataliputra, and finally Patna. The glory of Patna started
with Mauryan emperor Chandragupta who made Pataliputra his
capital from where he ruled on entire Gangetic plains extending
to modern Afghanistan in the west. The city reached it zenith
during the reign of Emperor Ashoka, a follower of Buddhism
and the first of the great kings of India. The city remained
as the centre of power till the Gupta period after which
it continued to languish for a long period. Revival came
with Sher Shah’s accession to the seat of Delhi and
the city became the capital of Bengal province. In the initial
days of East India Company, Patna served as the warehouse
for hugely profitable opium business with China.
Not much of the earlier glory can be seen but the recent excavations at Kumhrar
has unearthed some interesting structures. Patna also serves as the main gateway
to the renowned Buddhist sites such as Bodh Gaya, Nalanda, Rajgir, and Vaishali.
Sightseeing :
Places to visit in destination - Patna
Shershah
Masjid was built when Sher Shah Suri, an Afghan
chieftain, became the ruler of Delhi. It is a beautiful
Masjid built in pure Afghani style. Kumhrar is the place
where excavations have unearthed some parts of the Mauryan
city of Pataliputra. Har Mandir Temple is
the second most important pilgrimage for the Sikhs after
the Golden Temple of Amritsar. Golghar,
built originally as a granary by the British, is now one
of the most popular tourist spots in the city. The
Jalan Museum has some very good collection of
silver and jade filigree work of the Mughal period. The
Bihar Institute of Handicraft and Design is doing
some pioneering work to revive old crafts of the state.
Part
of the famous Buddhist centre of East India, Patna is the
base for many important places around. Bodhgaya is
the most important Buddhist pilgrimage in the world where
Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. Gaya is
a famous Hindu pilgrimage and related to many legends in
Hindu religious literature. Nalanda has
the distinction of being the place which at one point of
time was home to the largest university in the world. Vaishali is
a place of historical as well as religious importance to
the Buddhists as well as Jains. Sasaram was
the home of Sher Shah. Related to all the three ancient religions
of India, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, Rajgir can be
considered as the little Jerusalem of India. Sonpur,
situated on the confluence of Ganga and Gandak, hosts the
largest cattle fair in Asia.
Sikhism is a peaceful faith with a growing following in the West. It is not, however, a missionary faith, and remains firmly rooted in the Indian State of Punjab. Here are its famous takhts (shrines and seats of authority), and numerous gurdwaras of astonishing beauty. On this tour you will visit three of the five takhts. You will meet and engage with Sikhs, and learn about the history and current issues of Sikhism and the Punjab and breathe the air of the fertile Punjab countryside, the breadbasket of India
Your journey takes you to these four sacred sites, and to others associated with early Buddhism. You will meet Buddhist pilgrims from around the world, and truly know yourself to be following in the footsteps of the Buddha. You complement your encounter with Buddhism by exploring the great Hindu cities of Lord Shiva - Varanasi in India, and Kathmandu in Nepal.
