A History of Agriculture in India v2.c71.s5: Building of Sarais
A History of Agriculture in India v2.c71.s5
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Building of Sarais
v2.c71.s5.1
Sher Shah built roads, planted avenues of shady trees and provided sarais and wells for the convenience of travellers. Akbar Khan thus provides the details. ‘For the convenience in travelling of poor travellers, on every road, at a distance of two kos, he made a sarai; and one road with sarais he made from the fort which he built in the Panjab to the city of Sunargaon which is situated in the kingdom of Bengal, on the shore of the ocean. Another road he made from the city of Agra to Burhanpur, which is on the borders of the kingdom of the Dekhin, and he made one from the city of Agra to Jodhpur and Chitor; and one road with sarais from the city of Lahore to Multan. Altogether he built 1,700 sarais on various roads; and in every *sarai* he built separate lodgings, both for Hindus and Musulmans, and at the gate of every *sarai* he had placed pots full of water, that any one might drink; and in every *sarai* he settled Brahmans for the entertainment of Hindus, to provide hot and cold water, and beds and food, and grain for their horses; and it was a rule in these *sarais* that whoever entered them received provision suitable to his rank, and food and litter for his cattle, from Government. Villages were established all round the *sarais*. In the middle of every *sarai* was a well and a *masjid* of burnt brick; and he placed an *imam* and a *mua'zzin* in every *masjid*, together with a custodian (*shahna*), and several watchmen; and all these were maintained from the land near the *sarai*. In every *sarai* two horses were kept, that they might quickly carry news. On both sides of the highway Sher Shah planted fruit-bearing trees, such as also gave much shade, that in the hot wind travellers might go along under the trees; and if they should stop by the way, might rest and take repose. If they put up at a *sarai*, they bound their horses under the trees.
v2.c71.s5.2
‘3,400 horses were always kept ready in the *sarais* to bring intelligence every day from every quarter. 113,000 villages of Hind were included in the royal fisc. He sent a *shikkdar* to each of his *parganas*, which were all prosperous and tranquil, and there was not one place which was contumacious or desolated; the whole country was settled and happy; corn was very cheap, nor during his time was there anywhere scarcity or famine.’³
v2.c71.s5.3
³ Abbas Khan, *Tarikh-i Sher Shah*, in Elliot and Dowson, *The History of India...*, Vol. IV, pp. 414, 417, 418, 422, 424 and 425.