The City of Patna

First Online: July 03, 2010
Page Last Updated: February 17, 2024

The present day city of Patna  is a large city and serves as the capital of the state of Bihar. In the ancient history of India, we can see references to the city of  Pataliputra, from which the present name is derived.

Patna is associated closely with Buddhism and Jainism, and has seen the rise and fall of many a kingdoms and empires. It has been a part of the Magadha kingdom, the Guptas, the Delhi Sultanate, the Moghul Empire, and has seen the rule of the Nawabs of Bengal, the East India Company and the British Raj. Patna has been one of the nerve centers of First War of Independence, participated actively in India's Independence movement, and emerged in the post-independent India as the home of Jayaprakash Narayan, a very popular leader of the Janata Party.

Pictures of Patna

V.N. O'key/Kamat's Potpourri

Government Museum, Patna
Patna, State of Bihar

V.N. O'key/Kamat's Potpourri

Tiger at Patna Zoo
Patna Zoo, Bihar

V.N. O'key/Kamat's Potpourri

Jaya Prakash Narayan with S.M. Joshi
Patna, September 1978

See Also:

• States and Regions of India -- Browse Kamat's Potpourri by geography; includes links to people, maps, and articles.