Patna

Located in India's Bihar state, Patna is the state's capital as well as its biggest city. According to the United Nations, Patna has a population of 2.35 million people as of 2018, ranking it as the 19th most populous city in the country. Its urban agglomeration, which encompasses 250 square kilometres (97 square miles) and more than 2.5 million inhabitants, is the 18th biggest in India. Patna is the administrative centre of the Patna High Court. Within driving distance are the pilgrimage sites of Vaishali, Rajgir, Nalanda, Bodh Gaya, and Pawapuri. Patna City is also a holy city for Sikhs since it is the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, and is thus considered a sacred city by Sikhs. In the contemporary era, Patna is mostly located on the southern bank of the Ganges river. In addition, the city is located on the banks of the rivers Sone, Gandak, and Punpun. The city has a length of about 35 kilometres (22 miles) and a width of approximately 16 to 18 kilometres (9.9 to 11.2 miles).

Patna, India, is one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities, having been established in 490 BCE by the ruler of Magadha. Patna, also known as Pataliputra in ancient times, served as the capital of the Magadh Empire throughout the reigns of the Haryanka, Nanda, Mauryan, Shunga, Gupta, and Pala empires. Pataliputra was a centre of scholarship and artistic expression. Many astronomers and intellectuals, such as Aryabhata, Vtsyyana, and Chanakya, were born and raised in the city. During the Maurya era (about 300 BCE), the city had a population of around 400,000 people. During the Maurya and Gupta empires, the city of Patna functioned as the political and cultural capital of the Indian subcontinent, as well as the seat of authority. Patna's renaissance was shattered with the collapse of the Gupta Empire. The British resurrected it as a centre of international commerce in the 17th century, and it has remained so since. Patna was established as the capital of Bihar and Orissa Provinces in 1912, after the division of the Bengal presidency.