Gandhi Maidan is a roughly square open ground, about a kilometre on each side, in the heart of Patna. Before independence it was called the Patna Lawns and was the scene of British military reviews; afterwards it became the place where Bihar's political life played out. Jayaprakash Narayan addressed his Total Revolution rally here in 1974, and most major Indian political leaders have spoken from its dais.
Day to day the maidan is a park: morning joggers, kite-flyers, vendors with peanuts and roasted chickpeas. The Gandhi memorial at one corner is a calm spot. On Republic Day the parade fills the whole field. The Golghar stands at the western edge, the Bihar State Archives Library on the south side, and the high court a short walk away.