SSC
The tomb of Sher Shah Suri is located at:
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Answer: Option B — Sasaram (Bihar)
Detailed Solution
The tomb of Sher Shah Suri is in Sasaram, in the Rohtas district of Bihar, which was his family's jagir (estate) and his birthplace. It was built between 1540 and 1545, during his lifetime, and completed by his son Islam Shah after his death.
The tomb is one of the finest examples of Indo-Afghan (Pathan) architecture. It stands in the middle of a large artificial lake, on a square stone platform, and is reached by a causeway. The tomb itself is an octagonal (eight-sided) structure built of red sandstone, topped by a large dome, about 37 metres high, with small domed kiosks (chhatris) around it. It was designed by the architect Aliwal Khan. It is sometimes called the "second Taj Mahal" of India because of its beauty. It is a monument protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Sher Shah Suri (about 1486-1545), originally named Farid Khan, was an Afghan ruler who founded the Sur Empire. He defeated the Mughal emperor Humayun at the Battle of Chausa (1539) and the Battle of Kannauj (Bilgram, 1540), forcing Humayun to flee to Persia. He ruled North India from 1540 to 1545. He died in 1545 from an accidental gunpowder explosion during the siege of Kalinjar fort.
Though his reign was short, Sher Shah is remembered for his excellent administration:
- He introduced a silver coin called the "rupiya", the ancestor of the modern rupee.
- He reorganised land revenue based on measurement of land and fixed shares of produce, a system later developed by Akbar's minister Todar Mal.
- He built and repaired roads, including the Grand Trunk Road (then called Sadak-e-Azam), from Sonargaon in Bengal to the Indus, with sarais (rest houses) along the way.
- He improved the postal system using horses.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Agra has the Taj Mahal and the tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah.
- ✗Delhi has Humayun's Tomb and the Purana Qila, which Sher Shah rebuilt.
- ✗Jaunpur has the Atala Mosque of the Sharqi Sultans.
Quick tip
Remember: Sher Shah Suri = tomb at Sasaram (Bihar) in a lake, defeated Humayun at Chausa (1539) and Kannauj (1540), introduced the rupiya, Grand Trunk Road.
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Indian States & Union Territories — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Indian States & Union Territories, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers state-wise GK for India: capitals, formation dates, high courts, state animals, birds and flowers, famous places, and the culture, dances and festivals that identify each state and union territory. Questions commonly ask about the newest state or union territory, the state formed on a particular date, the capitals of states, and which high court serves more than one state. Keep a single table per state with its capital, formation year and key facts. Reorganisations such as that of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 change the answers, so make sure your notes are up to date. Practise the Indian states and union territories questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.