Sasaram

Introduction

Sasaram — also written Shahasaram or Sasseram — is a historical city and municipal corporation area in the Rohtas district of Bihar, in eastern India. Its older spellings hint at the layers of history attached to the place, and it is the history that draws travellers here.

Before you go

Sasaram is an ancient city with deep roots in Indian mythology, known as the home of the legendary warrior Sahasrabahu. It also served as the citadel of the Sur Dynasty, which ruled large parts of North India during the mid-16th century. Keep this layered history in mind as you plan: the city rewards travellers interested in both legend and the monuments of a former ruling power.

Geographically, Sasaram lies west of the Sone River, set on the Kaimur Range, an eastern extension of the Vindhya Range. The undulating landscape around the city is home to several waterfalls, so plan your visit with the terrain in mind and allow time to explore beyond the urban centre. Check conditions for the falls before you set out, as their flow depends on the season.

Getting there

Sasaram is reached easily by both rail and road, with direct connections to major metros including New Delhi and Kolkata.

• By train: Sasaram is a junction railway station on the Howrah–Mughalsarai line, and it is also connected to Patna via Arrah.
• By car: Sasaram lies on the Grand Trunk Road (GT Road), which links it with Delhi and Kolkata.

Getting around

Sasaram has no organised public transport system, so plan on covering the town on foot. Walking is the best way to explore the central areas and reach many of the sights and everyday amenities, and it also gives you the best feel for the city's historical character. There is no metro, tram or reliable local bus network to fall back on.

• For places near the town, auto-rickshaws (known locally as autos) are the practical option, but they generally need to be booked rather than hailed from a formal stand.
• For destinations further out, book a car.
• Allow extra time for arranging each local trip, since transport is booked individually rather than flagged down.
• Use Sasaram Junction as your main arrival and departure point by rail; the city is also reachable by road along the Grand Trunk Road, which connects it with Delhi, Kolkata and Patna.

Where to stay

Sasaram's accommodation is limited to a handful of basic hotels, so it pays to set your expectations accordingly and book ahead if you can. Options include Hotel BNS International, Hotel Janta Deluxe, Hotel Maurya Royal, Hotel Rohit International, the BSTDC-run Shershah Vihar and Mountain View Resorts.

For well-furnished rooms and an on-site restaurant, Hotel Rohit International is the most comfortable of the central choices, while Shershah Vihar, run by the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation, is a straightforward government-run option. Mountain View Resorts sits at the upper end of what the town offers. Wherever you stay, confirm your room and rate directly with the hotel before arriving.

Food & drink

Post Office More is the area to head for when you're hungry, with a cluster of small restaurants and street food stalls. The dish to seek out is litti, a whole-wheat dough ball stuffed with sattu, a flour made from roasted chickpea and barley. It comes with alu chokha, mashed boiled potato, or begun bharta, roasted eggplant, and both are popular alongside it.

If you want something heartier, look for non-veg litti, which is served with a dash of chicken or fish.

What to see and do

Sasaram was the seat of the Sur Dynasty, and the town holds the tombs of its kings along with a handful of related monuments, ancient Hindu temples, an Ashokan rock edict, megaliths and rock paintings. Several forts and waterfalls lie nearby.

• The Tomb of Sher Shah Suri, known as Pani Roza, is the centrepiece: an octagonal Indo-Islamic tomb standing on an artificial island in the middle of a square man-made lake, reached by a causeway from the north. The island is ringed by battlements with octagonal chhatris at the corners, and the tomb itself rises in two levels to a large dome. The western wall carries the kibla, so the tomb also serves as a mosque. It is a protected ASI monument; you remove your shoes to go inside.
• The Tomb of Hasan Shah Suri, or Sukha Roza, lies just east of his son's tomb and follows the same architectural pattern on a smaller scale, set on the ground rather than in a lake. Its interior is kept locked, and the complex is not well maintained.
• The Tomb of Islam Shah Suri, also called Salim Shah, was planned on a grander scale than Sher Shah's but was never completed; today only a few pillars and arches remain, and the interior, open to the sky, still serves as an active graveyard.
• The Tomb of Alawal Khan, at the southern end of town, honours the architect of the Hasan Shah and Sher Shah tombs; it sits inside an active Muslim graveyard and is not easily accessible.
• Kandahar Quila, a small fort-like structure in the vegetable market area, is in poor condition and its history is little documented.
• The Maa Tara Chandi Temple on GT Road, about 5 km southeast, is one of the 52 Shakti Peetha, dedicated to Maa Durga or Maa Shakti.

Three days in Sasaram

Day one: Start in Sasaram itself, the town known variously as Shahasaram and Sasseram, and get your bearings on foot along the Grand Trunk Road, the old artery that runs through Bihar and on toward Patna, Arrah and beyond. Geographically the town sits between the Sone River and the Kaimur Range, with the Vindhya Range in view, so the setting gives you a sense of the landscape before you turn to its monuments. The town's history is bound up with the Sur Dynasty, and the tomb of Sahasrabahu is the sight most associated with it. For the evening, check into one of the local hotels such as Hotel BNS International, Hotel Janta Deluxe, Hotel Maurya Royal or Hotel Rohit International, or use the BSTDC options.

Day two: Give the day to Rohtas and its fort, the reason many travellers come to this part of Bihar. Allow time to walk the site rather than rushing it, since the scale rewards a slow visit. Keep the afternoon flexible and return to Sasaram for the evening.

Day three: Use Sasaram Junction for your onward travel, with connections toward New Delhi, Kolkata, Mughalsarai and Patna. If you are coming by rail, the Howrah and Delhi lines both serve the region, and the Grand Trunk Road remains the road option through North India. Before leaving, spend a last hour walking the town centre and taking in the Indian townscape at an unhurried pace.