On top of Badi Pahadi, the traffic below fades to a faint hum and the plain runs flat to the horizon in every direction. Up here there is a breeze, a small temple, a 14th-century tomb and the town spread out like a map.
Back down, old lanes lead to Badi Dargah, resting place of the Sufi saint who gave the city its 'Sharif', and roads fan out to the brick ruins of Nalanda and the marble Jal Mandir at Pawapuri. Summers are hot, the monsoon soaks June to September, and winters stay cool and dry. A Local Friend can take you to their own quiet corner of town and tell you the story that made it theirs.
