A History of Agriculture in India v2.c71.s7: Roads
A History of Agriculture in India v2.c71.s7
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Roads
v2.c71.s7.1
Shaikh Nuru-l Hakk states, ‘Sher Khan made the road which now runs from Delhi to Agra, by cutting through jungles, removing obstacles, and building *sarais*. Before that time, people had to travel through the Doab between those two places. There was so much security in travelling during his reign that if a lone woman were to sleep in a desert with silver and gold about her person, no one would dare to commit theft upon her; and if it ever did so happen that any one lost any property, the *mukaddams* of the village which was the scene of the robbery were subject to fine, and for fear of its infliction, the *zamindars* used to patrol the roads at night.⁴
v2.c71.s7.2
⁴ Shaikh Nuru-l Hakk, *Zubdatu-t Tawarikh*, in Elliot and Dowson, *The History of India*..., Vol. VI, pp. 188, 189
v2.c71.s7.3
According to Mushtaki, ‘From Gaur to the confines of Oudh, a road was made having *sarais*, gardens, and shady and fruit-bearing trees. Another road with gardens and *sarais* from Benares to the country of Mandu near to Burhanpur. Another road with gardens and *sarais* from Agra to Jodhpur. Another from Bayana to Jaunpur and to Ajmir. There were 1,700 *sarais*, and at every *sarai* there were pairs of horses ready, so that news travelled 300 *kos* in one day.’⁵
v2.c71.s7.4
⁵ Shaikh Rizku-lla Mushtaki, *Wakiat-i Mushtaki*, in Elliot and Dowson, *The History of India*..., Vol. IV, p. 549
v2.c71.s7.5
By building roads and *sarais*, and by abolishing a number of inland custom duties, Sher Shah gave a great impetus to trade.