"Situated on the south bank of the Ganges River, this crowded, dirty, and noisy state capital has lost all resemblance of its past glory. It is difficult to imagine that modern Patna was once the largest city in the world and the seat of India’s greatest empire from the 6th century BCE to the 4th century CE. A series of fires, floods and wars eventually destroyed most of Pataliputra, and all that now remains of the past are the ruins of a large pillared assembly hall at Kumrhar Archeological Park (6 km from the railway station), and some fantastic art in the Patna Museum."