Patna, city (1991 pop. 1,099,647), capital of Bihar state, NE India, on the Ganges River. It is the hub of a rice-growing region and is an administrative, commercial, and educational center. There is good transportation by road, rail, and air. The ancient name was Pataliputra. It was an imperial city during the Maurya (c.325-185 B.C.) and Gupta (c.320-A.D. 545) eras. Asoka (270-230 B.C.) built a large palace there, and some ruins of the period remain. The city was revived during the rule of Afghans and Mughals. In the 18th cent. the East India Company made Patna a seat of trade.

City (pop., 2001: 1,366,444), capital of Bihar state, northern India, on the Ganges River. It was founded in the 5th century BC as Pataliputra and was the capital of Magadha until the 1st century BC. It was ruled later by the Mauryan empire. A centre of learning, it became the Gupta dynasty's capital in the 4th century AD but declined and was deserted by the 7th century. Revived as Patna in 1541 by an Afghan ruler, it became prosperous under the Mughal dynasty and passed to the British in 1765. Extensive archaeological excavations have been made in its vicinity.

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Patna, population 2298, is a village in East Ayrshire, Scotland.

It was established in 1802 by William Fullarton, to provide housing for workers on the coal-fields of his estate. Fullarton's father had worked as an employee of the British East India Company, and the town takes its name from the city of Patna in India.

Patna lies south east of Ayr on the A713 to Castle Douglas just north of Dalmellington between the villages of Polnessan and Waterside at the junction with the road to Kirkmichael and the River Doon flows through the village.

Patna Primary School is a general, non-religious school. A catholic primary school is in Waterside, named St Xaviers Primary School that is attended by pupils from as far as Dalmellington and Bellsbank, to Maybole. A secondary school, Doon Academy, is located in the nearby village of Dalmellington

Patna has at its advantage, a small library, a games hall, a football field, numerous country walks and a golf club and the river Doon is popular with local fishermen. Patna has its own Petrol Filling Station which also retails Quad and Dirt Bikes including the popular Kazuma Brand along with a selection of Wulfsport Clothing and Safety Gear.

External links

• Patna at east-ayrshire.gov.uk