Patna - My Hometown

Patna, a city with such a magnificent history, is now famous only for the wrong reasons! Being one of the oldest existing cities in the world, one should feel proud of being born in this city which has seen human civilization since the time when people at other parts of the world used lived like animals. It hurts when the name of my hometown gets marred due to the politicians who are ruling this place. Feels real bad.
Historically Patna is in existence around 500 BC. Since then it has been the capital of Magadh and Mauryan empire. It has been a major centre for international trade during early British Raj. Many great People like Gautam People and the famous traveller Hiuen Tsang came to this land. It is said that Gautam Buddha had predicted that there would never be peace in this land and sadly, that has been mostly true. It has always been the centre of some war, problem or controversy. Even during the independence this place played an important role particularly during the Champaran movement and Quit India Movement.
Patna boasts of having the seventh oldest engineering institute in India. Some twenty years back back, it was common to have around 25-30 students from Patna College clearing the UPSC examinations to become IAS or IPS officers. Not a small feat. Patna Medical College and Hospital(PMCH),erstwhile Prince of Wales Medical College, had infrastructure which other hospitals in India can only imagine. Khuda Baksh Library contains manuscripts of pre-Mauryan age. There are more students who qualify for IITs from here than any other place in the country. This shows how academically inclined people from this place has been. Even now, the education till junior college level is quite good.
First 17 years of my life was spent here when I moved to Pune to pursue my engineering. Both my paternal and maternal grandparents are from Patna so most of my relatives still reside here. I've loved my childhood with all the sweet and sour moments. I'll relish those moments for the rest of my life.