Patna

Patna is the capital of Bihar and the second largest metropolis in eastern India, sitting on the confluence of the Ganges, Sone and Poonpun rivers. Ancient Pataliputra served as capital of the Maurya and Gupta empires from 500 BCE to 400 CE, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The city is the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh (10th Sikh Guru) and gateway to major Buddhist and Jain pilgrimage centres at Vaishali, Rajgir, Nalanda, Bodhgaya and Pawapuri. While Bihar is one of India's poorest states and Patna shows signs of poverty and congestion, it is also one of the fastest growing cities with new malls, restaurants and developing infrastructure.

Jay Prakash Narayan Airport (PAT) serves domestic flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Indore and Ranchi with daily flights to Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. Patna Junction is a major railway station on the Delhi-Kolkata route with frequent express trains. The Mithapur bus stop (3 km south of the station) serves state transport and private buses. For Nepal, buses leave at about 07:00 to Raxaul and Jogbani at the Nepali border for connections to Kathmandu and Pokhara.

There are car rental companies available in Patna. However, foreign travellers unused to Indian driving may find the roads stressful due to heavy traffic and poor conditions, although road quality has improved. Auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws are common for short distances within the city.

The Sonepur Cattle Fair held in November in Sonepur (across the Ganges from Patna) is the largest cattle and animal fair in Asia. Winter months (November to February) offer the most comfortable weather with temperatures between 10-25°C. Summer (March-June) can be extremely hot reaching 40°C, while monsoon (July-September) brings heavy rainfall.

Patna is a growing business city where hotels tend to be overpriced for the room provided, and many hotels are full most nights with little incentive to improve facilities. Accommodation options range from budget lodges near the railway station to mid-range hotels on Exhibition Road and Gandhi Maidan area. Higher-end options include Lemon Tree Premier near Gandhi Maidan and Hotel Patliputra Exotica on Exhibition Road.

Bihari cuisine specialities include pua-pittha, tilkut, chiwra, makhana, sattu (roasted gram flour used in many dishes), litti chokha (baked wheat balls with spiced gram flour) and the famous paan (betel leaf). Popular drinks include sattu-pani (sattu drink) and lassi made of curd with dry fruits and sugar. Key eating areas include Dak Bunglow Crossing and Boring Road with restaurants like Pind Balluchi (Revolving Floor, Biscomaun Bhawan near Gandhi Maidan).

Major attractions include the Patna Museum with over 50,000 rare art objects and the Holy Relic Casket containing Buddha's ashes; the Bihar Museum on Bailey Road (₹500 for foreigners, ₹100 for Indians, open Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-19:00); Golghar built in 1786 for British army food storage with 140,000 ton capacity; and Kumhrar ruins of ancient Pataliputra where only one of 80 original pillars remains. Other sites include the Indira Gandhi Planetarium (one of Asia's largest), Gandhi Sangrahalaya museum, Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan (zoo and botanical garden), Takht Sri Patna Sahib (birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh), and the 18-floor revolving restaurant at Biscomaun Bhawan. Boat rides on the Ganges near Gandhi Ghat are recommended.

There have been reports that British citizens face discrimination in Patna with hotel staff claiming no vacancy and directing them to expensive hotels. Patna has one of the highest rates of murder and abduction in India, though incidents typically involve local residents rather than travellers. Remain vigilant, avoid unnecessary conflicts and be cautious late at night.

Major Buddhist circuit destinations include Bodhgaya (where Buddha achieved enlightenment), Nalanda (ancient university with museum), Rajgir (site of Vishwa Shanti Shutpa accessible by aerial ropeway), and Vaishali (famous for bananas and Buddhist temple). Other nearby holy sites are Pawapuri (Jain Nirvana site), Kesaria (oldest Shanti Stupa, 170 km away), and Deo (Sun Temple city). Deoghar and its Babadham temple is 200 km by train (drop at Jasidih Junction). For Nepal, buses leave at 07:00 from Mithapur bus stop to Raxaul where buses continue to Kathmandu and Pokhara.