Before its capital was shifted to Pataliputra, the capital of Magadha for several years was:

Rajagriha (present-day Rajgir, in the Nalanda district of Bihar) was the capital of Magadha for several years, before the capital was shifted to Pataliputra.

About Rajagriha:

• "Rajagriha" means "the house of the king".
• It was a fortified city surrounded by five hills, which provided natural protection; this is why it was a good choice for a capital.
• NCERT notes that Rajagriha was a fortified city, and that the capital of Magadha was shifted to Pataliputra in the 4th century BCE.
• It was built in two parts: "Old Rajagriha" (Girivraja), within the hills, and "New Rajagriha", built later outside the hills.
• Remains of the "Cyclopean Wall", a stone wall about 40 km long, can still be seen; it is one of the oldest stone fortifications in India.

Rajagriha in history:

• It was the capital of the Haryanka dynasty, under rulers such as Bimbisara and Ajatashatru.
• The Buddha and Mahavira spent many rainy seasons there.
• The First Buddhist Council was held near Rajagriha.

Shift to Pataliputra:

• Pataliputra (modern Patna) was located at the confluence of the Ganga and the Son, which made it important for trade, transport and defence.
• It became the capital of the Shishunaga (later), Nanda, Maurya and Gupta dynasties.

Why Magadha became powerful (NCERT):

• Rivers like the Ganga and the Son flowed through it, which were important for transport, water supply and fertile land.
• Parts of Magadha were forested, which provided elephants for the army.
• There were iron ore mines nearby, used to make tools and weapons.
• It had ambitious rulers.

Rajgir today:

It is a pilgrimage centre for Buddhists, Jains and Hindus, with hot springs and the Vishwa Shanti Stupa.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Vaishali was the capital of the Vajji confederacy.
• ✗Champa was the capital of Anga.
• ✗Shravasti was the capital of Kosala.