Patna

Patna is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world.

Patna lies on the southern bank of the Ganges, as it flows past with the combined waters of the rivers Ghagra, Son and Gandak. At the point where the city is located, the sacred Ganges looks more sea than river: mighty, wide and never-ending.

Patna is a sacred city for Sikhs. The tenth and last "human" guru, Guru Gobind Singh, was born in the City in 1666. The City also house one of the five Sikh Takhats - Seat of Authority.

A bustling city of 1,200,000 people, the city is approximately 15 km long and 5 km to 7 km wide. The Buddhist and Jain pilgrim centres of Vaishali, Rajgir or Rajgriha, Nalanda, Bodhgaya and Pawapuri are all nearby. It is the ideal gateway for all the places on this circuit. The monuments in and around the city take one down the history to its glorious past.

Apart from being the administrative centre of the state and its historic importance, the city is also a major educational centre and medical centre. Sadly, because of the neglect by the Union government of India and the apathy of the state government, the educational institutions, some of the oldest and most prestigious in the country, have fallen behind over the last decade.

The walled old area, called Patna City by the locals, is also a major trading centre.