Tomb of Sher Shah Suri

Sher Shah Suri Tomb

Location Sasaram, Bihar, India
Designer Aliwal Khan
Type Indo-Islamic architecture
Material Sandstone
Height 122 ft
Completion date August 16, 1545
Dedicated to Sher Shah Suri
Tomb
Location in Bihar

The tomb of Sher Shah Suri is in the Sasaram town of Bihar state, India. The tomb was built in memory of Emperor Sher Shah Suri, a Pathan from Bihar who defeated the Mughal Empire and founded the Suri Empire in northern India. He died in an accidental gunpowder explosion in the fort of Kalinjar on 10th day of Rabi' al-awwal, A.H. 952 or 13 May 1545 AD.[1][2]

Architecture

His tomb is an example of Indo-Islamic architecture, it was designed by the architect Aliwal Khan and built between 1540 and 1545, this red sandstone mausoleum (122 ft high), which stands in the middle of an artificial lake, which is nearly square, is known as the second Taj Mahal of India. The tomb stands at the centre of the lake on a square stone plinth with domed kiosks, chhatris at each of its corners, further there are stone banks and stepped moorings on all sides of the plinth, which is connected to the mainland through a wide stone bridge. The main tomb is built on octagonal plan, topped by a dome, 22-metre in span and surrounded ornamental domed kiosks which were once covered in coloured glazed tile work.

The tomb was built during the reign of his son Islam Shah. An inscription dates its completion to August 16, 1545, three months after the death of Sher Shah.[3][4]

References

  1. Shershah Suri's Tomb, Sasaram - Ticketed Monument Archaeological Survey of India
  2. Kissling, H. J.; Barbour, N; Spuler, Bertold; Trimingham, J. S.; Bagley, F. R. C.; Braun, H.; Hartel, H. (1997). The Last Great Muslim Empires. BRILL. pp. 262–263. ISBN 90-04-02104-3. Retrieved 2011-07-20.
  3. Catherine B. Asher (1977). "The mausoleum of Sher Shah Suri". Artibus Asiae. Artibus Asiae Publishers. 39 (3/4): 273–298. doi:10.2307/3250169. JSTOR 3250169.
  4. General view of Sher Shah Suri's Tomb, Sasaram. British Library.
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Coordinates: 24°56′53″N 84°00′33″E / 24.9481°N 84.0092°E / 24.9481; 84.0092

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