Photo: Photo Dharma from Penang, Malaysia / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
📍 Patna, South Bihar, Bihar
One of India's oldest museums, established in 1917, and affectionately called 'Jadu Ghar' (House of Magic) by locals. Built in a graceful Indo-Saracenic style, it holds tens of thousands of artefacts spanning Bihar's ancient, medieval and modern past, including a Buddha relic casket and rare stone and bronze sculptures.
The Patna Museum, established in 1917 during the British era, is a landmark repository of Bihar's heritage. Known locally as Jadu Ghar (House of Magic), its Indo-Saracenic building itself is an attraction.
Notable collections include:
October to March for comfortable sightseeing weather.
Memorials A moving memorial to seven young students who were shot dead by British police on 11 August 1942 while trying to hoist the national flag over the Secretariat during the Quit India Movement. The bronze statues, sculpted by Devi Prasad Roychoudhury, stand outside the Bihar Secretariat as an enduring tribute to their sacrifice.
Buddhist Circuit A serene urban park built to mark 2,554 years since the Buddha's birth, located right beside Patna Junction. Its centrepiece is the tall Karuna Stupa (Stupa of Compassion), which enshrines sacred Buddha relics, surrounded by landscaped gardens, a meditation centre and a museum — an oasis of calm in the busy city.
Hindu Temples One of the most visited Hanuman temples in North India, standing right beside Patna Junction. It is among the busiest and richest temples in Bihar, famous for its Naivedyam (Tirupatistyle laddoo prasad). The temple trust funds hospitals and social causes, and set an example by appointing a Dalit priest alongside the traditional one.
Memorials Gandhi Maidan is one of India's largest public grounds, a historic stage for freedommovement rallies and public gatherings in the heart of Patna. On its edge stands the Gandhi Sangrahalaya, a museum that tells the story of Mahatma Gandhi's life and his deep connection with Bihar through photographs, documents and models.
