Golghar

Golghar, is located to the west of the Gandhi Maidan in Patna, capital of Bihar state, India . Disturbed by the devastating famine of 1770, Captain John Garstin got this Silo or beehive shaped structure built for the purpose of storing grains for the British army. It has a storing capacity of 140000 tons and was completed on 20th July 1786. At that time, India was under the British Raj. It has a foundation of 125m, and a height of 29m. It is pillarless with the wall of 3.6m width at the bottom. One can climb atop the Golghar through the 145 steps of its winding stairway around the monument. The top of the Golghar presents a wonderful panoramic view of the city and the Ganga flowing nearby. At time of its construction, it was the tallest building in Patna.

One interesting fact about Golghar is never in its existence has it been filled to its maximum capacity and there are no plans in future as well. The reason for this is that due to oversight while designing and construction of Golghar, the doors were designed to open inside. Thus, if it is filled to its maximum capacity, then the doors will not open.

What connects Carolina in the U.S., Scotland and Bihar? The answer is not easy. The connection is Patna; more precisely it is the Patna rice. Many may be familiar with the long grain and aromatic Basmati rice. Equally long and mildly aromatic the rice grown in the fertile Gangetic plains of Bihar and specifically around Patna is known as the Patna rice. Some claim that this strain is one of the oldest rice varieties grown on the earth. According to Buddhist legends, Fa Hein's travel writings and records of Abul Faizal there is mention about this special rice. It is believed that this rice was taken to the U.S. in the 17th century and grown in Carolina. Till date the Carolina rice is one of the most popular varieties in that country. In Scotland, there is a small village named Patna. William Fullerton, who made large sums of money selling Patna rice, established this town in the 19th century. He thankfully remembered his productive stay in India by naming the newfound village Patna.

More than rice

But it's not just the rice; Patna is a city known for other rich legacies. It is known by many names, the most famous being Pataliputra. It is on the banks of the Ganga and in its vicinity three more rivers Ghagra, Sone and Gandak , converge. Buddhism and Jainism flourished in this place and Guru Gobind Singh was born here. It was the seat of the Mauryas and two legendary kings Chandra Gupta Maurya and Ashoka ruled this place. The city has been inhabited for centuries together without a break. In 1912, it became the capital of the combined province of Orissa and Bihar and from 1935 till now that of Bihar.