Sasaram

Sasaram, near the Kaimur hills, was the birthplace of Sher Shah Suri and a seat of his dynasty. His great sandstone tomb rises from an artificial lake, its dome and terraces a conspicuous monument to the Afghan ruler. Nearby stand the tomb of his father Hasan Khan Suri and the unfinished tomb of his son Islam Shah. An inscription of the ancient emperor Ashoka can also be found in the hills near the town.

In the sixteenth century Sher Shah defeated the Mughal emperor Humayun and ruled a realm stretching across much of northern India. His reign was short, but his arrangements for revenue and administration influenced the rulers who followed him. He is also associated with the development of the road from Kabul to Bengal, later known as the Grand Trunk Road. Sasaram remained closely tied to his family through the tombs they left behind.