Sasaram (also spelt Sahasram) is a city and the administrative headquarters of Rohtas district in the Indian state of Bihar. Situated on the Grand Trunk Road in the south-western part of the state, it is best known as the burial place of the sixteenth-century Afghan ruler Sher Shah Suri, whose mausoleum is among the finest examples of Indo-Islamic architecture in eastern India.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| State | Bihar |
| District | Rohtas |
| Status | District headquarters; municipal town |
| Region | Southern Bihar plains, near the Kaimur range |
| Notable landmark | Tomb of Sher Shah Suri |
| Major route | Grand Trunk Road (NH-19/NH-2 corridor) |
The name Sahasram is traditionally derived from the Sanskrit sahasra-arama, meaning "thousand gardens," and is also linked in local tradition with the legend of the demon king Bali and the sage Parshurama. The shorter spelling "Sasaram" is in common administrative and railway use.
Sasaram lies in the alluvial plain at the foothills of the Kaimur range, which rises to the south and west of the town. The river Son flows to the east of the district. The location on the Grand Trunk Road, midway between Varanasi and Gaya, has historically given the town its strategic and commercial importance.
The area around Sasaram has yielded evidence of long-standing settlement, including the rock inscription of the Mauryan emperor Ashoka at the Chandan Shahid hill, one of the so-called Minor Rock Edicts. The town was part of successive regional polities, including the Magadha sphere and later the Sultanate of Delhi.
Sasaram rose to prominence in the early sixteenth century as the home of the family of Sher Shah Suri (Farid Khan), founder of the short-lived but influential Sur Empire. After defeating the Mughal emperor Humayun, Sher Shah ruled northern India from 1540 until his death in 1545. He was buried in Sasaram in a domed sandstone mausoleum standing on a terrace in an artificial lake, designed by the architect Aliwal Khan. Adjoining tombs commemorate his father Hasan Khan Suri and his son Islam Shah Suri.
Under British rule, Sasaram was part of Shahabad district. After the reorganisation of districts in Bihar, the new district of Rohtas was constituted with Sasaram as its headquarters. The town has since served as the seat of the district administration, judiciary, and police.
Sasaram is well connected by road and rail:
The local economy is based on agriculture, trade and small-scale industry. Rohtas district is part of Bihar's rice-growing belt, and Sasaram functions as a market and service centre for surrounding rural areas. Stone quarrying and processing in the Kaimur foothills, along with cement and allied industries in the wider region, also contribute to the local economy.
Sasaram hosts a number of degree colleges affiliated to Veer Kunwar Singh University, Ara, along with government and private schools, technical institutes and a district-level hospital.