Bihar: Difference between revisions

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== Capital and Major Cities ==

* Capital: [[Patna]]

[[Patna]] the provincial capital of Bihar dates back in the Indian history when the town was called Patliputra and later on it was also called Kusumpura. The city was visited by Lord Buddha in the 6th century B.C. Patliputra, in the time of Ashoka became the centre from where messengers of peace and international understanding were sent to all over India and beyond. The glories of the city revived with the rise of the Gupta Empire in the early 4th century A.D. and Chandragupta I, who was the first emperor of the [[Gupta dynasty]], had his capital here. Fahian, Chinese pilgrim, who visited this city in early 5th century A.D, has left a very rich description of the place.

In the Muslim period, The King [[Sher Shah Suri]] (1488 –1545), the Afghan emperor, revived his capital and constructed a fort here on a strategic location and put a boundary around Patna. Later the Mughals acknowledged the importance of Patna when [[Humayun]] (1508 – 1556) the eldest son of the Emperor [[Babar]], who succeeded his father to the throne in 1530, defeated the Suri dynasty and became the emperor of Hindustan. Subsequently, Akbar (1542 – 1605) the Mughal emperor of India who established a tolerant policy of co-operation with the Hindu population, and whose reign saw the zenith of Mughal power brought Patna into his own kingdom. The city was extended and beautified by different Mughal Governors, who built a large number of buildings for religious as well as administrative and public purposes.

Patna played an important part when Mir Qasim Ali Khan who was enthroned in 1760 and he tried to throw off the yoke of the British. Mir Qasim fled from Monghyr to Patna and had 50 Englishmen executed by his German General Samru – the cemetery of those executed Englishmen lies behind the present City Hospital building. But in November 1763 Patna was captured by the British troops and Mir Qasim fled to Oudh. In 1764, in the famous battle of Buxer, Mir Qasim was defeated along with his allies by the British and he had to escape. He died, in 1777, in exile.

'''History OF Patna'''

The history and tradition of Patna go back to the earliest dawn of civilization. The original name of Patna was Pataliputra or Patalipattan and its history makes a start from the century 600 B.C. The name Patna has undergone many changes at its earliest stages like Pataligram, Kusumpur, Patliputra, Azimabad etc., ultimately terminating to the present one. Chandragupta Maurya made it his capital in the 4th century B.C. Thereafter the city lost its importance until Sherkhan Suri rose into power in the early 16th century A.D. Another version that comes to focus is that there existed a village named Pattan or Patthan, which later turned into Patna.It has been said that Pataliputra was founded by Ajatashatru. Patna, therefore, has become inextricably bound up with the ancient Pataliputra. The ancient village was named ‘Patali’ and the word ‘Pattan’ was added to it. Greek history mentions ‘Palibothra’ which perhaps is Pataliputra itself.

Ajatashatru had to adopt certain security measures in order to protect Patna from the repeated Lichchavi invasions. He had got a natural riverine fort protected by three rivers. Ajatashatru’s son had moved his capital from Rajagriha to Pataliputra and this status was maintained during the reign of the Mauryas and the Guptas. Ashoka the Great, administered his empire from here. Chandragupta Maurya and Samudragupta, valliant warriors, they took Pataliputra as their capital. It was from here Chahandragupta sent forth his army to fight the Greeks of the western frontier and Chandragupta Vikramaditya repelled the Shakas and the Huns from here. It was there that the Greek ambassador Megasthenes stayed during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya. The famous traveler Fa-Hien in the 3rd century and Hiuen-Tsang in the 7th century inspected the city. Many noted scholars like Kautilya stayed here and works like ‘Arthashastra’ were written from this place. This city was the fountainhead of the spring of knowledge and wisdom in ancient times.

Prince Azim-us-Shan, the grandson of Aurangzeb came as the Governor of Patna in 1703. Earlier than that Sher Shah had removed his capital from Biharsharif to Patna. It was prince Azim-us-Shan who tried to turn Patna into a beautiful city and it was he who gave it the name ‘Azimabad’. The common people however went on calling it ‘Patna’. The old Patna or the modern Patna City had at one time a wall all round, the remains of which can still be seen at the entrance of old Patna.

* Other major cities: [[Gaya]], [[Bhagalpur]], [[Muzaffarpur]], [[Darbhanga]], [[Purnia]]<ref>https://urban.bih.nic.in/</ref>

@@ Line 87: / Line 87: @@
 == Capital and Major Cities ==
-* Capital: [[Patna]]
+[[Patna]] the provincial capital of Bihar dates back in the Indian history when the town was called Patliputra and later on it was also called Kusumpura. The city was visited by Lord Buddha in the 6th century B.C. Patliputra, in the time of Ashoka became the centre from where messengers of peace and international understanding were sent to all over India and beyond. The glories of the city revived with the rise of the Gupta Empire in the early 4th century A.D. and Chandragupta I, who was the first emperor of the [[Gupta dynasty]], had his capital here. Fahian, Chinese pilgrim, who visited this city in early 5th century A.D, has left a very rich description of the place.
+In the Muslim period, The King [[Sher Shah Suri]] (1488 –1545), the Afghan emperor, revived his capital and constructed a fort here on a strategic location and put a boundary around Patna. Later the Mughals acknowledged the importance of Patna when [[Humayun]] (1508 – 1556) the eldest son of the Emperor [[Babar]], who succeeded his father to the throne in 1530, defeated the Suri dynasty and became the emperor of Hindustan. Subsequently, Akbar (1542 – 1605) the Mughal emperor of India who established a tolerant policy of co-operation with the Hindu population, and whose reign saw the zenith of Mughal power brought Patna into his own kingdom. The city was extended and beautified by different Mughal Governors, who built a large number of buildings for religious as well as administrative and public purposes.
+Patna played an important part when Mir Qasim Ali Khan who was enthroned in 1760 and he tried to throw off the yoke of the British. Mir Qasim fled from Monghyr to Patna and had 50 Englishmen executed by his German General Samru – the cemetery of those executed Englishmen lies behind the present City Hospital building. But in November 1763 Patna was captured by the British troops and Mir Qasim fled to Oudh. In 1764, in the famous battle of Buxer, Mir Qasim was defeated along with his allies by the British and he had to escape. He died, in 1777, in exile.
+'''History OF Patna'''
+The history and tradition of Patna go back to the earliest dawn of civilization. The original name of Patna was Pataliputra or Patalipattan and its history makes a start from the century 600 B.C. The name Patna has undergone many changes at its earliest stages like Pataligram, Kusumpur, Patliputra, Azimabad etc., ultimately terminating to the present one. Chandragupta Maurya made it his capital in the 4th century B.C. Thereafter the city lost its importance until Sherkhan Suri rose into power in the early 16th century A.D. Another version that comes to focus is that there existed a village named Pattan or Patthan, which later turned into Patna.It has been said that Pataliputra was founded by Ajatashatru. Patna, therefore, has become inextricably bound up with the ancient Pataliputra. The ancient village was named ‘Patali’ and the word ‘Pattan’ was added to it. Greek history mentions ‘Palibothra’ which perhaps is Pataliputra itself.
+Ajatashatru had to adopt certain security measures in order to protect Patna from the repeated Lichchavi invasions. He had got a natural riverine fort protected by three rivers. Ajatashatru’s son had moved his capital from Rajagriha to Pataliputra and this status was maintained during the reign of the Mauryas and the Guptas. Ashoka the Great, administered his empire from here. Chandragupta Maurya and Samudragupta, valliant warriors, they took Pataliputra as their capital. It was from here Chahandragupta sent forth his army to fight the Greeks of the western frontier and Chandragupta Vikramaditya repelled the Shakas and the Huns from here. It was there that the Greek ambassador Megasthenes stayed during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya. The famous traveler Fa-Hien in the 3rd century and Hiuen-Tsang in the 7th century inspected the city. Many noted scholars like Kautilya stayed here and works like ‘Arthashastra’ were written from this place. This city was the fountainhead of the spring of knowledge and wisdom in ancient times.
+Prince Azim-us-Shan, the grandson of Aurangzeb came as the Governor of Patna in 1703. Earlier than that Sher Shah had removed his capital from Biharsharif to Patna. It was prince Azim-us-Shan who tried to turn Patna into a beautiful city and it was he who gave it the name ‘Azimabad’. The common people however went on calling it ‘Patna’. The old Patna or the modern Patna City had at one time a wall all round, the remains of which can still be seen at the entrance of old Patna.
 * Other major cities: [[Gaya]], [[Bhagalpur]], [[Muzaffarpur]], [[Darbhanga]], [[Purnia]]<ref>https://urban.bih.nic.in/</ref>