.....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.
