Sasaram
Sasaram, a dreary and dusty little town is
located on the Grand Trunk Road, the famous Indian Highway built
by the master architect, Aliwal Khan, in the reign of Sher Shah
in the mid -16th century. Sasaram lies half way between Varanasi
and Gaya. 17km west of the main railway junction of Dehri-on-Sone
and the three-kilometre-long Sone River Bridge is noteworthy as
the site of the impressive mausoleum of Sher Shah Suri.
It is one of two majestic Muslim monuments, which
bear the distinctive heavy lines of the early Lodhi monuments
of Delh
i. The well-maintained five-storeyed,
red sandstone mausoleum capped by a massive dome, stands in the
middle of a 430-square-metre artificial lake. The 46m high dome
has 22metre span, which is 4metres wider than the dome of the
Taj Mahal.
The tomb was once adorned by red, white, blue
and yellow geometrical designs, and the dome, once white, topped
with a golden lotus. At its centre, a large octagonal chamber
contains the tomb itself, while pavilions mark each corner of
the building and steps lead down to the water.
Around 500m east, visible from the upper storeys
of Sher Shah's mausoleum, is the tomb of his father, Hasan Sur
Khan. Built in 1535, within a walled enclosure, it has been engulfed
by the rustic town of Sasaram and is in a somewhat dilapidated
condition. Despite its status as a protected monument, some of
the flagstones are being removed.
Excursion
There are quite a few Muslim tombs at Maner at Dehri, 17 kms from
Sasaram.
Getting There
By Air
There is no direct air connection.
By Rail
There are only two direct trains from Varanasi, but from Mugal
Sarai station, there are frequent trains to Sasaram.
By Road
There are frequent buses for Sasaram, from Patna, Varanasi and
Gaya.
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General Information & Accomdation info
on Sasaram city of Bihar - India
