If you are visiting Sasaram then do take some time out to check the tomb of Islam Shah Suri the son of Sher Shah Suri who took over the reins of the Suri empire after his father’s death. Unlike the tombs of Sher Shah and Hasan Khan Suri (father of Sher Shah) which have beautiful tombs built for them, the last resting place of Islam Shah Suri truly reflects the state of affairs that the Suri empire was in after the death of Islam Shah.
Location Of Tomb Of Islam Shah Suri
The tomb is located on the opposite side of Sasaram town crossing the railway flyover bridge. As soon as you cross the flyover make a sharp left and follow the narrow road till you reach a small government school in a place called Takiya.
This place is not a popular tourist spot thus visiting this place has its challenge. There are no dedicated parking spots and one needs to park on a very narrow street near the site.
The tomb like that of Sher Shah is located on an island surrounded by an artificial lake. There are no ticket counters instead don’t be surprised to find a huge locked metal gate that limits the access to the tomb located in the middle of the water body. What is clear is that the lake surrounding the site is now lased for commercial fishing and this creates its challenges as the people who are managing the business closely guard the property. The people from the locality have been given limited access to guard the fishing business. It was our sheer luck that the business owners were there and opened the gates the let us in but prevented others from entering.
I would suggest that one visits this place within day time as this place is desolate with no proper security arrangements. I did not see any electrical connections around this place so for sure by late evening it will get dark and inaccessible.
How To Reach Tomb Of Islam Shah Suri
The best possible way is to hire a car for a day so that you can visit this site along with other tourist attractions in Sasaram. Avoid the local shared transport as these can become extremely crowded. Alternatively, you can also book a return trip with an e-rickshaw (including waiting time) but for this, you surely have to guide him to this place.
This place is very near to Sasaram Junction railway station so by train this should be your destination. If you plan to reach by air then your nearest airport will be Gaya.
I have attached the map location at the end of the blog post with which you can navigate your way.
Short History Of Islam Shah Suri
With the sudden tragic death of Sher Shah Suri on 22nd May 1545 the Suri empire saw a sudden void of any true leader. During his death, none of his sons were there so a group of close confidants of the dead ruler came together to decide on the next person to have the throne.
They were of the opinion that Adil Khan was always preferred by the emperor but at the very moment he was in Ranthambore enjoying hunting whereas Jalal Khan his other younger son was nearer in terms of distance.
The elders were of the opinion that the elder brother did not fit the throne considering his bad habits and a tendency to live a luxurious life whereas the younger brother was somewhat arrogant but still best fitted the rule of the sultan.
Jalal Khan with the support of all the ministers came to the throne on the 27th of May 1545 just five days after his father’s sudden death and then took the name “Islam Shah Suri”.
During his reign, he fought numerous battles and had several failed assassination attempts on him. No sooner than he got the throne there was a constant threat of his elder brother challenging his coronation and this led to constant skirmishes.
His reign lasted around ten years and surprisingly his death never came on the battlefield instead it was just an infected boil in his leg which no physicians of the kingdom could heal. Some say it was a curse that an eccentric sufi had given him when the emperor objected to his ways of spreading the religion with the local population.
He died on 22nd of November 1554 at the age of 47. After his death his son Firuz Shah Suri who was just twelve years old then. His reign was short-lived and within a month was assassinated by Muhammad Adil Shah who was the nephew of Sher Shah Suri.
Muhammad Adil Shah’s reign was also short-lived and the empire started breaking apart with revolts and infightings. Soon the Sur empire would collapse and by 1556 and by that time Humayun had started his second stint as the Mughal emperor.
What To See At Tomb Of Islam Shah Suri
Tragically unlike that of his father and grandfather his last resting place was never completed. In terms of design, it was built in the same like as Sher Shah Suri’s tomb with an artificial water body surrounding the actual tomb located in the middle of the lake.
Right after his death the Sur empire never regained its dominance and with an internal power struggle the last resting place of Islam Shah never got completed. Ironically During the reign of Islam Shah the tomb of Sher Sha was completed in all its splendor and glory.
The island is approached by a long causeway built by placing stone slabs on stone piers to let the water flow freely. When visiting this place be aware that some sections of the stone slabs have given way and the water beneath can be seen. Some of these open sections are wide enough to get your legs trapped. On the main island, you will see projected stone bays on four corners, the design patterns on these are still partially visible.
What you can still see are those unfinished arches and the ones that completely lack intricate designs. The roof was never even started so the actual burial spot remains under an open sky. All around the island, you will find sections of pillars or granite stone.
This historical place is in urgent need of cleaning up and maintenance. The sheer amount of garbage even in a burial place is unfathomable. There are weeds and trees all over the unfinished structure which has made the vulnerable structures more prone to collapse since they do not have complete supporting sections. The local authorities must ensure its proper maintenance and make it easily accessible to tourists.
Location Of Tomb Of Islam Shah Suri On Map
I travelled to Sasaram as a part of Wiki Loves Monuments documenting the various historical places in the state of Bihar.
Resources
History Of The Afghans by Bernhard Dorn
British Library
Dainik Bhaskar
Other Blogs On Bihar
Daud Khan Fort – Aurangabad
Rohtasgarh Fort – Sasaram
Kumhrar Excavation Heritage Park
Places To Visit Around Bodhgaya
Golghar – Patna
Barabar Caves – Day Trip
Dungeshwari – Mahakala Cave Bodhgaya