Topic-Conservation Efforts of Tangible or Intangible Heritage

                                               Response Paper-1[pic 1]

                            Heritage Conservation- An Introduction[pic 2]

Topic-Conservation Efforts of Tangible or Intangible Heritage [pic 3]

Name of Heritage-Tomb of Sher Shah Suri( Sasaram, Bihar)

The tomb of Sher Shah Suri is located in Sasaram district of Bihar which very near to my place called Arrah. Actually Sasaram, the headquarter of Rohtas district of Bihar is a small town on the Grand Trunk Road (National Highway No.2) with a railway station of the same name on Mughalsarai -Gaya Section. It is located about 160 kms south west of Patna the state capital. This tomb is made in the memory of Sher Shah Suri who defeated Humayun near Buxar and ruled over Delhi for some years till death. He is truly regarded as brillian national hero ruler of India. Apart from his brave, intelligent and millitary tactful man he had extra ordinary skill in civil administration also. He was a builder too.He built a new city on the bank of Yamuna river near Delhi of which the sole survivor is the Old fort (Purana Qila) and the mosque within it known for its lavishness of decoration. But his most outstanding contribution to the field of architecture is the construction of his own tomb at Sasaram, Bihar which combines soberness with elegance. It is understood as one of the nobelest specimen of Afghan Architecture in India designed by Mir Muhammad Aliwal Khan.

Brick structure partly veneered with stone standing in the middle of a fine tank and rising above large stone. The building consists of very large octagonal chamber surrounded by a 3.10 meter wide veraundah. Each arm of the octagon measured about 17.00 meter externally surrounding.  The main dome are 8 pillered cupolas on the corner of the octagon. The total height of the tomb above the terrace measured 37.57 meters. The interior of the tome is sufficiently well ventilated and lighted through large windows on the top portion the walls. In a small arched recess above the Mihrab on the western wall is an inscription in two lines recording the completion of the tomb by Shah the 7th day of Jummah A.H .952( 16th August 1545). some three months after the death of Suri.

The tomb stands at the centre of the lake on a square stone plinth with domed kiosks, chhatris at each of its corners, further there are stone banks and stepped moorings on all sides of the plinth, which is connected to the mainland through a wide stone bridge. The square terrace forming the wide basement of this domed mausoleum has canopies at its four corners. In all four sides of the basement, stairs leading to the water edge are formed. The main body of the mausoleum, having an octagonal plan is situated at the centre of the basement. It may be correct to say that it follows the style of octangobal mausoleums built under the Sayyid and the lodi Dynasty, which still exist in Delhi. Surrounding a rather high drum supporting the octagon and the dome, kiosks, each having a dome, formed by 4 pillars, are constructed. Looking at this mausoleum from the lakeside, it looks like a group of these small kiosks, viewed together with the ripples on the surface of the lake, bring this majestic building into further prominence. Having surveyed the features of this mausoleum at the site, I can't help but admire the outstanding plan and excellent result of the work of Sher Shah, who ordered to buid this majestic construction on the lake and Aliwar Khan, an architect responsible for design and construction of that time. It is possible that this grand mausoleum remains are the very thing symbolizing character and an achievement of the resourceful general Sher Shah, the who went to Dehli and interrupted the Mughalid dominance for a period of time. (Matuo Ara).