About

Sher Shah Suri's mausoleum is located in Sasaram, Bihar. Sher Shah Suri commissioned the tomb for himself. It was completed on 16 August 1545, about three months after his death. It was designed by Mir Muhammad Aliwal Khan.

The tomb stands on an island in the middle of a rectangular artificial lake measuring 370m east to west, by 270m north to south. There is a small domed gatehouse in the middle of the north bank which is connected to the tomb by a stone causeway. A boathouse with piers stands on the eastern bank of the lake.

The square plinth on which the tomb stands is about 6.7m high and 65m on its side. The square artificial island on which the plinth stands is about 82m on its side. While the edges of the island run parallel to the edges of the lake, the edges of the plinth are set at an angle to the edges of the island, rotating the whole structure by about 15° anti-clockwise. There are flights of steps which lead to a platform in the middle of each side of the plinth.

The tomb is a three-storeyed octagonal building, surmounted by a large dome. Octagonal, domed chhatris are located at each angle of the second and third stories, as well as at the four corners of the first storey. The edges of the terrace on first storey are punctuated in the middle by small four-sided chhatris, with a larger gateway on the northern side to which the causeway access leads.

A 3.1m broad veranda runs along the circumference of the tomb, with each side of the octagon having three arched openings. The inner wall of the veranda is the outer wall of the actual mortuary chamber. Like the outer wall, it follows an octagonal pattern with three arches on each side. Of these, the middle arch forms the actual entrance, while the other two are blind arches; except on the western side where all three are blind arches. The arched entrances in the inner walls are embellished with lotus medallions. A carved boss representing a lotus is provided in the spandrel of each arch.

The central mortuary chamber has sides of 4.9m, and is about 12.8m across. Arched windows, embellished with latticed screens are placed high above the blind arches and entrance in the interior wall of the veranda and serve to illuminate the interior of the mortuary chamber. Entrance to the central mortuary chamber is from all sides except the western side, which is the qibla wall reserved for prayer. Above the jali windows, the walls have 32 sides, and this 32-sided figure is surmounted by the grand dome, which has an internal diameter of 21.64m.

The western qibla wall contains the mihrab (prayer niche), which is elaborately decorated with carvings and tile work. Most of the carvings are verses from the Quran, except for three inscriptions which glorify the sultan.

The second storey includes a balcony, with a battlement that acts as a parapet. The balcony measures about 4.9 m, and its chief feature is the domed chhatris at each corner. These chhatris are smaller than the chhatris seen on the first storey.
The third storey is also provided with chhatris on each corner, which are smaller than those of the second. The great dome, whose exterior diameter measures 24 m, is crowned by an amalaka. Originally, it was crowned by a chhatri.

The tomb, made out of sandstone, was originally painted in bright colours and decorated with glazed tiles. The grand dome was painted white, and the domes of the chhatris on the second and third floors were painted to resemble lotuses.

The tomb of Sher Shah's father, Hasan Khan Suri, stands about half-a-kilometer to the east of Sher Shah's tomb. It is similar in conception with an octagonal footprint, chhatris on the upper storey, and a large central dome, but much smaller in scale. It does not have a tank or island, earning it the nickname of "Sukha" Rauza, or the dry tomb.
It was also commissioned by Sher Shah Suri and designed by Aliwal Khan.

Constructed in:	16th century CE
Height:	37.19 m
Base:	65m x 65m
Local Language(s):	Hindi

History

Sher Shah Suri (1472-1545) was the founder of the short-lived Suri empire in northern India.

He served as the regent, and later, the sole ruler of Bihar from 1529 to 1540. He defeated the nascent Mughal Empire in 1540, founding the Sur Empire, and establishing his rule in Delhi.

He died in 1545 from an explosion that occured during the siege of the Kalinjar fort.

He was succeeded by his son, Islam Shah Suri, who himself died in 1554.

A squabble for succession followed the death of Islam Shah, eventually leading to Humayun's return as Emperor of Delhi. The Mughal Empire's hold on all of Sher Shah's erstwhile territories was consolidated following the second battle of Panipat in November, 1556.

Sher Shah is known to be both a powerful military commander, and able and just administrator. Many of the nobles and courtiers who had served in Sher Shah's court went on to serve Emperor Akbar, thereby solidifying the administrative practices which were at the foundation of the Mughal Empire for the next two hundred years after Sher Shah's death.