Pataliputra

Pataliputra

Plan of Pataliputra, compared to present-day Patna
Shown within India Show map of India Pataliputra (Bihar) Show map of Bihar
Alternative name	Pātaliputtā (Pāli)
Location	Patna district, Bihar, India
Region	South Asia
Coordinates	[ ⚑ ] : 25°36′45″N 85°7′42″E / 25.6125°N 85.12833°E / 25.6125; 85.12833
Altitude	53 m (174 ft)
Length	14.5 km (9.0 mi)
Width	2.4 km (1.5 mi)
History
Builder	Ajatashatru
Founded	490 BCE
Abandoned	Became modern Patna
Associated with	Haryankas, Shishunagas, Nandas, Mauryans, Shungas, Guptas, Palas
Management	Archaeological Survey of India

Pataliputra (IAST: Pāṭaliputra), adjacent to modern-day Patna, was a city in ancient India, originally built by Magadha ruler Ajatashatru in 490 BCE as a small fort (Pāṭaligrāma) near the Ganges river.^[1] Udayin laid the foundation of the city of Pataliputra at the confluence of two rivers, the Son and the Ganges. He shifted his capital from Rajgriha to Patliputra due to the latter's central location in the empire.^[2] It became the capital of major powers in ancient India, such as the Shishunaga Empire (c. 413–345 BCE), Nanda Empire (c. 460 or 420–325 BCE), the Maurya Empire (c. 320–180 BCE), the Gupta Empire (c. 320–550 CE), and the Pala Empire (c. 750–1200 CE). During the Maurya period (see below), it became one of the largest cities in the world. As per the Greek diplomat, traveler and historian Megasthenes, during the Mauryan Empire (c. 320–180 BCE) it was among the first cities in the world to have a highly efficient form of local self government.^[3] Afterwards, Sher Shah Suri (1538–1545) revived Pataliputra, which had been in decline since the 7th century CE, and renamed it Paṭna.

The location of the site was first identified in modern times in 1892 by Laurence Waddell, published as Discovery Of The Exact Site Of Asoka's Classic Capital.^[4] Extensive archaeological excavations have been made in the vicinity of modern Patna.^[5][6] Excavations early in the 20th century around Patna revealed clear evidence of large fortification walls, including reinforcing wooden trusses.^[7][8]

Etymology

The etymology of Pataliputra is unclear. "Putra" means son, and "pāṭali" is a species of rice or the plant Bignonia suaveolens.^[9] One traditional etymology^[10] holds that the city was named after the plant.^[11] Another tradition says that Pāṭaliputra means the son of Pāṭali, who was the daughter of Raja Sudarshan.^[12] As it was known as Pāṭali-grāma ("Pāṭali village") originally, some scholars believe that Pāṭaliputra is a transformation of Pāṭalipura, "Pāṭali town".^[13] Pataliputra was also called Kusumapura (city of flowers).

History

There is no mention of Pataliputra in written sources prior to the early Jain and Buddhist texts (the Pali Canon and Āgamas), where it appears as the village of Pataligrama and is omitted from a list of major cities in the region.^[14] Early Buddhist sources report a city being built in the vicinity of the village towards the end of the Buddha's life; this generally agrees with archaeological evidence showing urban development occurring in the area no earlier than the 3rd or 4th Century BCE.^[14] In 303 BCE, Greek historian and ambassador Megasthenes mentioned Pataliputra as a city in his work Indika.^[15]Diodorus, quoting Iambulus mention that the king of Pataliputra had a " great love for the Greeks ".^[16]

The city of Pataliputra was formed by fortification of a village by Haryanka ruler Ajatashatru, son of Bimbisara.^[17]

Its central location in north eastern India led rulers of successive dynasties to base their administrative capital here, from the Nandas, Mauryans, Shungas and the Guptas down to the Palas.^[18] Situated at the confluence of the Ganges, Gandhaka and Son rivers, Pataliputra formed a "water fort, or jaldurga".^[19] Its position helped it dominate the riverine trade of the Indo-Gangetic plains during Magadha's early imperial period. It was a great centre of trade and commerce and attracted merchants and intellectuals, such as the famed Chanakya, from all over India.

Two important early Buddhist councils are recorded in early Buddhist texts as being held here, the second session of the Second Buddhist council in the reign of Ashoka, 35 years after the first session held in Vaisali and the Third Buddhist council.^[20]

Jain and Brahmanical sources identify Udayabhadra, son of Ajatashatru, as the king who first established Pataliputra as the capital of Magadha.^[14] The Sangam Tamil epic Akanaṉūṟu mentions Nanda kings ruling Pataliputra.^[21][22][23]

Capital of the Maurya Empire

Ruins of pillared hall at Kumrahar site at Pataliputra.

The Pataliputra capital, discovered at the Bulandi Bagh site. 4th-3rd c. BCE.

Mauryan remains of a wooden palissade at Bulandi Bagh site.

During the reign of Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE, it was one of the world's largest cities, with a population of about 150,000–400,000.^[24] The city is estimated to have had a surface of 25.5 square kilometers, and a circumference of 33.8 kilometers, and was in the shape of a parallelogram and had 64 gates (that is, approximately one gate every 500 meters).^[25] Pataliputra reached the pinnacle of prosperity when it was the capital of the great Mauryan Emperors, Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka. The city prospered under the Mauryas and a Greek ambassador, Megasthenes, resided there and left a detailed account of its splendour, referring to it as "Palibothra":

"Megasthenes says that on one side where it is longest this city extends ten miles in length, and that its breadth is one and threequarters miles; that the city has been surrounded with a ditch in breadth 600 feet, and in depth 45 feet; and that its wall has 570 towers and 64 gates." - Arrian "The Indica"^[26]

Mauryan remains of a wooden palisade discovered at the Bulandi Bagh site of Pataliputra.

Fa-Hien at the ruins of Ashoka's palace in Pataliputra in the 4th century CE (artist impression).

Strabo in his Geographia adds that the city walls were made of wood. These are thought to be the wooden palisades identified during the excavation of Patna.^[27]

"At the confluence of the Ganges and of another river is situated Palibothra, in length 80, and in breadth 15 stadia. It is in the shape of a parallelogram, surrounded by a wooden wall pierced with openings through which arrows may be discharged. In front is a ditch, which serves the purpose of defence and of a sewer for the city." - Strabo, "Geographia"^[28]

Aelian, although not expressly quoting Megasthenes nor mentioning Pataliputra, described Indian palaces as superior in splendor to Persia's Susa or Ecbatana:

"In the royal residences in India where the greatest of the kings of that country live, there are so many objects for admiration that neither Memnon's city of Susa with all its extravagance, nor the magnificence of Ecbatana is to be compared with them. (...) In the parks, tame peacocks and pheasants are kept." - Aelian in "De Natura Animalium"^[29]

Under Ashoka, most of wooden structure of Pataliputra palace may have been gradually replaced by stone.^[30] Ashoka was known to be a great builder, who may have even imported craftsmen from abroad to build royal monuments.^[31] Pataliputra palace shows decorative influences of the Achaemenid palaces and Persepolis and may have used the help of foreign craftmen.^[32] Which may be the result of the formative influence of craftsmen employed from Persia following the disintegration of the Achaemenid Empire after the conquests of Alexander the Great.^[33][34]

Capital of later dynasties

The city also became a flourishing Buddhist centre boasting a number of important monasteries. It remained the capital of the Gupta dynasty (3rd–6th centuries) and the Pala Dynasty (8th-12th centuries). When Faxian visited the city in 400 A.D, he found the people to be rich and prosperous; they practised virtue and justice.^[35] He found that the nobles and householders of the city had constructed several hospitals in which the poor of all countries, the destitute, the crippled and the diseased can get treatment. They could receive every kind of help gratuitously. Physicians would inspect the diseases, and order them food, drink, and medicines.^[36] The city was largely in ruins when visited by Xuanzang.^[37] In a fanciful 1559 book about world geography, the Italian Caius Julius Solinus briefly mentions a powerful Indian kingdom of Prasia with a capital at Palibotra.^[38] Afterwards, Sher Shah Suri made Pataliputra his capital and changed the name to modern Patna.

Structure

Ruins of Pataliputra at Kumhrar.

Though parts of the ancient city have been excavated, much of it still lies buried beneath modern Patna. Various locations have been excavated, including Kumhrar, Bulandi Bagh and Agam Kuan.

During the Mauryan period, the city was described as being shaped as parallelogram, approximately 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) wide and 15 kilometers (9 miles) long. Its wooden walls were pierced by 64 gates. Archaeological research has found remaining portions of the wooden palisade over several kilometers, but stone fortifications have not been found.^[39]

Excavated sites of Pataliputra

• Kumhrar
• Bulandi Bagh
• Agam Kuan

As dynastic capital

• Pataliputra served as the capital under various Indian dynasties
• 

  Pataliputra served as the capital of the Haryanka dynasty and the Shishunaga dynasty of Magadha.

• 

  Pataliputra served as the capital of the Nanda Empire.

• 

  Pataliputra served as the capital of the Maurya Empire.

• 

  Pataliputra served as the capital of the Shunga Empire.

• 

  Pataliputra served as the capital of the Gupta Empire.

• 

  Pataliputra served as the capital of the Pala Empire.

Main recovered artifacts

• 

  The Masarh lion, 3rd century BCE.

• 

  Lohanipur torso.

• 

  Portion of pillar, found in Pataliputra.

• 

  Pataliputra griffin statuette.

• 

  Winged griffin.

• 

  Pataliputra Yakshas, with Mauryan inscriptions.

• 

  Kumrahar coping stone with vines.

• 

  Pataliputra lotus motifs.

• 

  Polished pillar from Pataliputra.

• 

  Mason marks at the base of a pillar.^[40]

• 

  Charriot wheel, Bulandi Bagh, Mauryan period.

• 

  Bulandi Bagh female statuette, Sunga period.

• 

  Buddhist railing, Sunga period.

See also

• Azimabad
• Magadha
• Names of Patna
• History of Patna

References

Sources

• Kosmin, Paul J. (2014). The Land of the Elephant Kings: Space, Territory, and Ideology in Seleucid Empire. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-72882-0. https://books.google.com/books?id=9UWdAwAAQBAJ. 
• Sastri, Kallidaikurichi Aiyah Nilakanta, ed. (1988), Age of the Nandas and Mauryas (Second ed.), Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-0465-4, https://books.google.com/books?id=YoAwor58utYC 

Further reading

• Bernstein, Richard (2001). Ultimate Journey: Retracing the Path of an Ancient Buddhist Monk (Xuanzang) who crossed Asia in Search of Enlightenment. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. ISBN:0-375-40009-5

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