Which city once steered an empire from the Ganges? Pataliputra—at the bend of the Ganges, heart of the Mauryas.
Pillared halls rose above palisades; councils measured grain and law.
Markets flashed with ivory, textiles, and spice; festivals braided faiths.
Here, scholars refined statecraft and learning, debating in Sanskrit and Prakrit.
Where river roads converged, an idea spread: power organized, culture enduring.