Sasaram in Bihar, 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 Delhi. 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.
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