105-826: Sher Shah Suri ( Pashto : ﺷﯧﺮ ﺷﺎﻩ ﺳﻮﺭﻱ ; Persian : شیرشاه سوری ), (Farid al-Din Khan; 1472 or 1486 – 22 May 1545), also known by his title Sultan Adil ( lit. ' the Just King ' ), was the ruler of Bihar from 1530 to 1540, and Sultan of Hindustan from 1540 until his death in 1545. He defeated the Mughal Empire , founding the Sur Empire and establishing his rule in Delhi . The influence of his innovations and reforms extended far beyond his brief reign. During his time in power, he remained undefeated in battle and
210-813: A Mughal army in July 1537, and advanced towards Chunar . The Mughals reached the fort in November 1537 and laid siege to it. The siege lasted over six months before the fort finally fell. Following this, Sher Shah began a second invasion into Bengal, seizing Rohtasgarh in March 1538 through stratagem. He used Rohtasgarh to situate Afghan families and loot he obtained during the war. Following up his victory, Sher Shah besieged Gauda, which fell in April 1538. Split detachments would also be sent to conquer Chittagong . Another force battled against Mahmud Shah led by Khawas Khan Marwat ,
315-453: A royal decree of Zahir Shah formally granted Pashto the status of an official language, with full rights to use in all aspects of government and education – despite the fact that the ethnically Pashtun royal family and bureaucrats mostly spoke Persian. Thus Pashto became a national language , a symbol for Pashtun nationalism . The constitutional assembly reaffirmed the status of Pashto as an official language in 1964 when Afghan Persian
420-778: A Fotdar (treasurer), and a Karkun (clerk) proficient in Hindi and Persian . The Shiqar of a Pargana was a military officer under the Sarkar's Shiqar's oversight and was responsible for maintaining stability and assisting the Munsif in land revenue collection and measurement. The Munsif in the Pargana was under the supervision of the chief Munsif in the Sarkar. Pashto language Pashto ( / ˈ p ʌ ʃ t oʊ / PUH -shto , / ˈ p æ ʃ t oʊ / PASH -toe ; پښتو , Pəx̌tó , [pəʂˈto, pʊxˈto, pəʃˈto, pəçˈto] )
525-615: A capable general. His reorganization of the empire and strategic innovations laid the foundations for future Mughal emperors, notably Akbar . Sher Shah died in May 1545 while besieging Kalinjar fort . Following his death, the empire descended into civil war until it was eventually re-conquered by the Mughals. During his rule as Emperor of the Sur Empire, Sher Shah implemented numerous economic, administrative, and military reforms. He issued
630-579: A device). Post-7th century borrowings came primarily from Persian and Hindi-Urdu , with Arabic words being borrowed through Persian, but sometimes directly. Modern speech borrows words from English, French , and German . However, a remarkably large number of words are unique to Pashto. Here is an exemplary list of Pure Pashto and borrowings: naṛә́i jahān dunyā tod/táwda garm aṛtyā́ ḍarurah híla umid də...pə aṛá bāra bolә́la qasidah Sasaram Sasaram, ( pronunciation ) also spelled as Shahasaram ,
735-503: A dish he was unfamiliar with eating customarily. In response, he drew his dagger cut the dish into smaller pieces, and then ate it with a spoon. Babur took notice and informed his minister Mir Khalifa : Keep an eye on Sher Khan, he is a clever man and the marks of royalty are visible on his forehead. I have seen many Afghan nobles, greater men than he, but they never made an impression on me, but as soon as I saw this man, it entered into my mind that he ought to be arrested for I find in him
840-452: A force of over 20,000 men. The heads of Iqtas were known by various titles such as Hakim , Faujdar , or Momin and typically commanded bodies of men usually numbering less than 5,000. Their responsibilities included maintaining order and enforcing law within their jurisdictions. Iqtas were further divided into districts known as Sarkars , each overseen by two chief officers: the Shiqar and
945-870: A formidable kingdom and threat to his rule, Sher Shah began preparing for war in August 1542. In early 1543, Sher Shah Suri, with a force of 80,000 cavalry, set out against Maldeo Rathore , the Rajput king of Marwar . The Afghan army advanced through Merta before Maldeo advanced with his own army of 50,000 to face Sher Shah, which had halted in the village of Sammel in the pargana of Jaitaran , near Jodhpur . Establishing defenses, Sher Shah's strong position made it difficult for Maldeo to launch an attack, while Sher Shah's position became dangerous due to supply difficulties for his large army. Sher Shah thus resorted to intrigue by dropping forged letters near Maldeo's camp, falsely indicating that some of his commanders intended to defect to
1050-456: A general of Sher Shah, which saw Mahmud Shah decisively defeated and mortally wounded. With these victories, Sher Shah held his first coronation. After the fall of Gauda, Sher Shah offered favorable peace terms to Humayun, proposing to pay 10,000,000 dinars, and the cessation of Bihar in exchange for control of Bengal. Humayun refused the offer, not wishing to leave the Bengal's rich resources to
1155-618: A generic term for any silver coin, during his rule the term rūpee came to be used as the name for a silver coin of a standard weight of 178 grains, which was the precursor of the modern rupee . The Rupee is today used as the national currency in India, Indonesia , Maldives , Mauritius , Nepal , Pakistan , Seychelles , and Sri Lanka . Gold coins called the Mohur weighing 169 grains and copper coins called Paisa were also minted during his reign. According to numismatists Goron and Goenka, it
SECTION 10
#17327839912101260-585: A horse trader and eventually became a landlord (Jagirdar) in the Narnaul area of present-day Haryana . He represented his patron Jamal Khan Lodi Sarangkhani, who assigned him several villages in Hissar Firoza . Sher Shah's father, Hasan Khan Sur, entered the service of Jamal Khan. In 1494, Jamal Khan was promoted and established in Bihar by Sikandar Khan Lodi . At Jamal Khan's request, Sikandar granted Hasan
1365-525: A hostile state. Additionally, the wounded Mahmud Shah, who had entered Humayun's camp, urged him to continue the war against Sher Shah. Mahmud Shah died from his wounds soon after. Following this, Humayun marched towards Bengal to confront Sher Shah. However, the Mughal army was troubled with heavy rains, causing the loss of their baggage between Patna and Monghyr . Humayun eventually reached Gauda and seized it without opposition on 8 September 1538. However,
1470-651: A paved road from Kabul to Bengal , also called the Grand Trunk Road . Sher Shah Suri's 122-foot (37 m) red sandstone tomb , built in the Indo-Afghan style , stands in the middle of an artificial lake in Sasaram. It borrows heavily from the Lodhi style, and was once covered in blue and yellow glazed tiles, indicating an Iranian influence. The massive free-standing dome also has an aesthetic aspect of
1575-665: A promoter of the wealth and antiquity of Afghanistan's Pashto culture." From the 16th century, Pashto poetry become very popular among the Pashtuns. Some of those who wrote in Pashto are Bayazid Pir Roshan (a major inventor of the Pashto alphabet ), Khushal Khan Khattak , Rahman Baba , Nazo Tokhi , and Ahmad Shah Durrani , founder of the modern state of Afghanistan or the Durrani Empire . The Pashtun literary tradition grew in
1680-463: A reputation for his reforms that brought prosperity to the region. However, due to family intrigues, he eventually relinquished his position over the jagirs. Sher Shah then moved to Agra , where he stayed until his father's death. This event allowed him to return to his family's jagirs and take control, thereby solidifying his leadership and furthering his rise to power. Sher Shah spent time in Agra after
1785-616: A siege of Kalinjar , immediately withdrew, crossing the Ganges and began a battle against Mahmud Lodi at Dadrah in 1531. The Afghan forces were decisively defeated, and the coalition was shattered. Mahmud Lodi fled to Orrisa , while Sher Shah emerged on top by keeping Southern Bihar. Humayun followed up his victory by besieging Chunar, a fortress owned by Sher Shah, in September 1532. The siege continued for over four months to no avail. In order to make peace, Sher Shah offered his loyalty to
1890-633: A small and old airport called Suara Airport. Closest major airports are in Gaya, Bihar (98 kilometers away), Patna, Bihar (157 kilometers away), and Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (120 kilometers away). Sasaram is the sixth most literate city in Bihar, with Rohtas being the most literate district in Bihar. There are four government colleges, although many students prefer to go to more developed cities for quality education, such as Bangalore , New Delhi , Pune , Patna , Varanasi and Puducherry , for higher education. A new engineering college has been set up in
1995-862: A small cave of Kaimur hill, near Chandan Shaheed. The edict is located near the top of the terminal spur of the Kimur Range near Sasaram. There is the Minor rock edict #1 only. Ashoka famously mentions pre-existing stone pillars in the Edict: "...And where there are stone pillars here in my dominion, there also cause it to be engraved." . Sasaram is located at 24°57′N 84°02′E / 24.95°N 84.03°E / 24.95; 84.03 and occupies an area of about 15 km (5.8 sq mi). It has an average elevation of 110 metres (360 ft). Plateau region of Kaimur Range near Sasaram have average elevation of 210 metres (690 ft). Sasaram
2100-522: A variety very similar to it, while others have attempted to place it closer to Bactrian . However, neither position is universally agreed upon. What scholars do agree on is the fact that Pashto is an Eastern Iranian language sharing characteristics with Eastern Middle Iranian languages such as Bactrian, Khwarezmian and Sogdian . Compare with other Eastern Iranian Languages and Old Avestan : Zə tā winə́m /ɐz dɐ wənən/ Az bū tū dzunim Strabo , who lived between 64 BC and 24 CE, explains that
2205-505: A young man, he killed a tiger that leapt suddenly upon the governor of Bihar, Behar Khan Lohani. Sher Shah was born in Sasaram , located in present-day Bihar , India. His birth date is disputed, with some accounts stating he was born in 1472, while others claim 1486. He was of Pashtun Afghan origin, belonging to the Sur clan. Sher Shah's grandfather, Ibrahim Khan Sur, began his career as
SECTION 20
#17327839912102310-421: Is "one of the primary markers of ethnic identity" amongst Pashtuns. A national language of Afghanistan , Pashto is primarily spoken in the east, south, and southwest, but also in some northern and western parts of the country. The exact number of speakers is unavailable, but different estimates show that Pashto is the mother tongue of 45–60% of the total population of Afghanistan . In Pakistan , Pashto
2415-950: Is 20 km (12 mi) away from Bodh Gaya , the most sacred place in Buddhism . Trains run from Sasaram to Kolkata , Ara, Ranchi , Patna , New Delhi , and Bikramganj . The trains which stop in Sasaram include Ajmer Seldah , Kalka Mail , Purushottam Express , Mahabodhi Express , Ranchi Garib Rath, Kolkata Mail , Jodhpur Howrah Express , Chambal Express , Shipra Express , Chennai Egmore Express, Nandan Kanan Express , Neelanchal Express and Poorva Express , Jallianwalabagh Express , Durigana Express , Garbha Express , Dikshabhoomi Express and New Delhi-Bhagalpur Express, etc. A direct weekly AC train had been started from Sasaram to Anand Vihar Terminal in July 2011 (22409/22410 - Sasaram - Anand Vihar Garib Rath Express ). However, now this AC train runs between Gaya and Anand Vihar Terminal , still stopping at Sasaram Junction. Sasaram has also
2520-549: Is a historical city and a municipal corporation region in the Rohtas district of Bihar state in eastern India . The city served as the capital of the Sur dynasty during Sher Shah Suri 's rule over India in the 16th century, and was residence place sub capital of epic monarch Sahastrabahu (Kartivirya Arjuna). Sasaram and the Kaimur Range contain waterfalls, lakes, rivers and picturesque locations as described by
2625-585: Is an Eastern Iranian language in the Indo-European language family , natively spoken in northwestern Pakistan and southern and eastern Afghanistan . It has official status in Afghanistan and the Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa . It is known in historical Persian literature as Afghani ( افغانی , Afghāni ). Spoken as a native language mostly by ethnic Pashtuns , it is one of
2730-587: Is clear from coins dated AH 945 (1538 AD) that Sher Shah had assumed the royal title of Farid al-Din Sher Shah and had coins struck in his own name prior to the battle of Chausa. The Sur Empire was divided into many subdivisions called Iqtas , which were often ruled by military governors. Haibat Khan , who governed the Punjab , commanded over 30,000 men and could distribute jagirs to his soldiers. Khawas Khan , another military governor, ruled over Rajasthan with
2835-566: Is currently planning to start a block information Centre, e-district plan, and Sawan Sasaram. Sasaram is one of the 40 Lok Sabha (parliamentary) constituencies in Bihar. Manoj Kumar (Sasaram politician) serves as a Member of Parliament (MP) representing Sasaram in the Lok Sabha . Sasaram is one of 243 constituencies of the Legislative Assembly of Bihar . It comes under Sasaram Lok Sabha constituency. The closure of
2940-491: Is in Sasaram. This fort has a history dating back to the 7th century CE. It was built by Raja Harishchandra , known for his truthfulness in the name of his son Rohitashwa . It houses the Churasan temple, Ganesh temple, Diwan-i-Khas, Diwan-e-Aam, and various other structures dating back to different centuries. The fort also served as the headquarters of Raja Man Singh during his reign as the governor of Bihar and Bengal under
3045-609: Is known as Dhan Ka Katora, meaning "a bowl of food grains". The rice grown near Sasaram is sold in the markets of Kolkata and New Delhi . The only significant industry is rock quarrying . Sasaram Junction station , a major railway station, serves Sasaram. Sasaram's other stations are Shivsagar, Kumahu, Nokha, Karwandiya, Pahleja and Dehri on Sone . Sasaram station is 101 km (63 mi) away from Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhaya station (less than 1.5 hours) and about 120 km (75 mi), or two hours journey from Varanasi , and 101 km (63 mi) from Gaya station. Gaya station
3150-409: Is located in the middle of its other sub-towns like Nokha & Kudra , which have a large number of agriculture based industries, and the city is also emerging as an educational hub. It is situated in the middle of other industrial twin towns like Dehri-on-sone , Dalmianagar , Sonnagar , Amjhor, Nokha and Banjari . The Sasaram city region is the administrative headquarters of Rohtas district. It
3255-498: Is spoken by 15% of its population, mainly in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern districts of Balochistan province. It is also spoken in parts of Mianwali and Attock districts of the Punjab province , areas of Gilgit-Baltistan and in Islamabad . Pashto speakers are found in other major cities of Pakistan, most notably Karachi , Sindh, which may have the largest Pashtun population of any city in
Sher Shah Suri - Misplaced Pages Continue
3360-401: Is surrounded by hills from two sides, its climate is seasonable. The climate is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. The Köppen Climate Classification sub-type for this climate is " Cfa " (humid subtropical). According to the 2011 census , Sasaram had a population of 351,408 but in urban agglomeration. Males constitute 52% of
3465-564: Is taught poorly in schools in Pakistan. Moreover, in government schools material is not provided for in the Pashto dialect of that locality, Pashto being a dialectically rich language. Further, researchers have observed that Pashtun students are unable to fully comprehend educational material in Urdu. Professor Tariq Rahman states: "The government of Pakistan, faced with irredentist claims from Afghanistan on its territory, also discouraged
3570-671: The Ain-I-Akbari . Over 200 waterfalls emerge during the rainy season. Modern Sasaram city covers the largest sub-metropolitan area of Bihar. Its attractions to visit include the Tomb of Sher Shah Suri (included in UNESCO World Heritage Centre – Tentative list ), Tomb of Hasan Khan Suri , Rohtasgarh Fort , Shergarh Fort , Manjhar Kund , Kashish waterfall, Karmchat Dam, Salim khan makbara, Tutla Bhawani Mandir, Narayni Devi Mandir , Dhua Kund . Sasaram city
3675-584: The Buddhist stupa style of the Mauryan period. The tomb of Sher Shah's father, Hasan Khan Suri, is also at Sasaram, and stands in the middle of a green field at Sherganj, which is known as Sukha Rauza. About a kilometre to the north west of Sher Shah's tomb lies the incomplete and dilapidated tomb of his son and successor, Islam Shah Suri . Sasaram also has a Baulia , a pool used by the emperor's consorts for bathing. The fort of Sher Shah Suri at Rohtasgarh
3780-574: The Chenab river before arriving at Khushab. At Khushab, Sher Shah sent two detachments under Khawas Khan and Qutb Khan to pursue Humayun and his contingent out of the region. The pursuit as far as the Panjnad River , before withdrawing back to Khushab and merging with Sher Shah's force. Remaining encamped at Khushab, Sher Shah received the submission of Baloch chiefs including prominently Ismail Khan, Fateh Khan, Ghazi Khan, and many others who ruled
3885-477: The Ganges river. Humayun crossed the river and engaged in skirmishes with Sher Shah's forces. During the fighting, many of Humayun's nobles hid their insignia to avoid recognition by the Afghans, and several fled the battle. The Mughal army was ultimately defeated, forcing Humayun to flee. Following this victory, Sher Shah was crowned a second time on 17 May 1540, being declared the ruler of Hindustan and adopting
3990-474: The Grand Trunk Road . The tomb finished its construction on 16 August 1545, three months after his death. Hermann Goetz posited that one of the motivations for Sher Shah choosing his birthplace, Sasaram, as the sight of his tomb, was that: "For Sher Shah Sasaram was the very symbol of his life and glory". Decades after his death, the Tarikh-i-Sher Shahi was commissioned by Akbar to detail
4095-838: The Karmanasa River , where his army was vulnerable to attack, Sher Shah capitalized on the Mughal army's fragile state and attacked at the Battle of Chausa . The Afghans descended on the Mughal army, which was 200,000 strong. Overwhelmed, the Mughal army was completely routed . Humayun barely escaped with his life, with the Mughals suffering over 7,000 casualties, including many prominent noblemen. With his defeat, Humayun returned to Agra, and restored order after unrest began due to his brother, Hindal Mirza . Humayun then began mobilizing another army and advanced against Sher Shah, who raised his own army, although being numerically inferior. The two armies met at Kannuaj , mirroring each other across
4200-922: The Teliagarhi pass. Mahmud Shah repeatedly requested the Portuguese to aid him, which they did by fortifying the Teliaghari and Sakrigali passes. Sher Shah, however, out-flanked the combined armies and reached Gauda by way of Jharkhand . Mahmud Shah immediately capitulated, and was forced to pay over 13,000,000 gold coins, and cede territory up to Sakrigali. Eager to conquer the Bengal Sultanate, Sher Shah prepared for another invasion, and an opportunity came when Mahmud Shah failed to send annual tribute, forcing him to seek refuge in Gaur and frantically ask Humayun for aid. In response, Humayun mobilized
4305-608: The 1930s, a movement began to take hold to promote Pashto as a language of government, administration, and art with the establishment of a Pashto Society Pashto Anjuman in 1931 and the inauguration of the Kabul University in 1932 as well as the formation of the Pashto Academy (Pashto Tolana) in 1937. Muhammad Na'im Khan, the minister of education between 1938 and 1946, inaugurated the formal policy of promoting Pashto as Afghanistan's national language, leading to
Sher Shah Suri - Misplaced Pages Continue
4410-825: The 8th century, and they use the writings found in Pata Khazana . Pə́ṭa Xazāná ( پټه خزانه ) is a Pashto manuscript claimed to be written by Mohammad Hotak under the patronage of the Pashtun emperor Hussain Hotak in Kandahar ; containing an anthology of Pashto poets. However, its authenticity is disputed by scholars such as David Neil MacKenzie and Lucia Serena Loi. Nile Green comments in this regard: "In 1944, Habibi claimed to have discovered an eighteenth-century manuscript anthology containing much older biographies and verses of Pashto poets that stretched back as far as
4515-540: The Afghan army to attack the Rajputs while they were still leaving the fort. The Rajputs killed their women and children before engaging in battle with the Afghans, before being defeated as the Afghans massacred them. This act is considered the darkest mark on Sher Shah's reign. Having initially attempted to aid Humayun in regaining his throne, as well as having failed to capture Humayun for Sher Shah, and Marwar itself being
4620-496: The Afghans in Bihar, Sher Shah distinguished himself, and his estates were restored in 1528. With his jagirs secured, Sher Shah accompanied Junaid Khan to Agra where he met Mughal emperor Babur. During this time, Sher Shah was conferred the title of Sher Khan after killing a tiger that leapt upon the ruler of Bihar. Sher Shah remained in Agra, observing Mughal military organization and administration. During one occasion while dining with Mughal Emperor Babur, Sher Shah encountered
4725-452: The Afghans were at Sultanpur Lodhi . With the approach of the Afghans, the Mughals fled Lahore. At Khushab , Humayun and Kamran quarreled and parted ways, with Humayun leaving for Sindh , and Kamran to Kabul . As Humayun began withdrawing, Khawas Khan initially gave up the pursuit, halting on the Jhelum river. Sher Shah then advanced from Sirhind toward Lahore, and then continued toward
4830-497: The Afghans. This caused great distress to Maldeo, leading him to abandon his commanders and retreat to Jodhpur with his men. Maldeo's generals, Jaita and Kumpa, split off a contingent of 12,000 men to fight against the Afghans. In the resulting Battle of Sammel, Sher Shah emerged victorious. Following the victory, Khawas Khan Marwat took possession of Jodhpur and occupied the territory of Marwar from Ajmer to Mount Abu in 1544, with Bikaner also submitting to Afghan rule. Following
4935-559: The Gakhars, devastating much of the countryside, and taking many prisoners. To further secure his rule, Sher Shah established Rohtas Fort and stationed 50,000 men in Punjab under his generals Haibat Khan Niazi and Khawas Khan Marwat. Subsequently, Sher Shah turned his attention to Bengal, where the governor he had appointed had become rebellious. Recognizing the importance of Bengal , Sher Shah focused much of his administrative efforts in
5040-648: The King"), as it is the birthplace of the Afghan king Sher Shah Suri , who ruled over Delhi , much of northern India, present-day Pakistan, and eastern Afghanistan for five years as the Sur Empire , after defeating the Mughal Emperor Humayun . Many of Sher Shah Suri's governmental practices were adopted by the Mughals and later the British Raj, including taxation, administration, and the building of
5145-594: The Lohani nobles opposed Sher Shah's dominance. Although he offered to share power, the Lohani nobles rejected his proposal and instead fled to Bengal with Jalal Khan, seeking the support of Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah , the ruler of the Bengal Sultanate . Consequently, Sher Shah became the sole ruler of Bihar . However, he did not adopt any grand titles, preferring to style himself as Hazrat-i-Ala. Taj Khan,
5250-460: The Mughals gained power, observing the leadership of Babur . After leaving Agra, he entered the service of the governor of Bihar. Following the governor's death in 1528, Sher Shah obtained a high position in Bihar and, by 1530, became the regent and de facto ruler of the kingdom . He engaged in conflicts with the local nobility and the Sultanate of Bengal . In 1538, while Mughal Emperor Humayun
5355-605: The Mughals on the condition that he remained in control of Chunar, offering to send his third son, Qutb Khan, as hostage. Humayun accepted and lifted the siege in December 1532, returning to Agra due to the rising threat of Bahadur Shah , the ruler of the Gujarat Sultanate . Humayun did not wish to split up his forces under the command of a noble to continue the siege, as this would split his strength, additionally giving reason for peace to be established. Makhdum Alam,
SECTION 50
#17327839912105460-408: The Mughals that rallied most of the significant Afghan leaders in India. Sher Shah however, recognized the division among the Afghans and Mahmud's incompetence, thus refusing to aid Mahmud. Intending for the unification of all Afghan leaders, Mahmud marched with his army to Sasaram, persuading Sher Shah to join the rebellion. Hesitatingly, Sher Shah accompanied the expedition with his own set of men, and
5565-405: The Munsif. The Shiqar was responsible for civil administration and could field 200-300 soldiers to maintain law and order. The Munsif handled revenue collection and civil justice, while chief Shiqars often dealt with criminal justice cases. Sarkars were in turn divided into smaller units called Parganas . which consisted of a town and its surrounding villages. Each Pargana had a Shiqar, a Munsif,
5670-529: The Pashto Movement and eventually allowed its use in peripheral domains only after the Pakhtun elite had been co-opted by the ruling elite...Thus, even though there is still an active desire among some Pakhtun activists to use Pashto in the domains of power, it is more of a symbol of Pakhtun identity than one of nationalism." Robert Nicols states: "In the end, national language policy, especially in
5775-681: The Pathan community in the city of Kolkata , often nicknamed the Kabuliwala ("people of Kabul "). Pashtun diaspora communities in other countries around the world speak Pashto, especially the sizable communities in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia . Pashto is one of the two official languages of Afghanistan, along with Dari Persian . Since the early 18th century, the monarchs of Afghanistan have been ethnic Pashtuns (except for Habibullāh Kalakāni in 1929). Persian,
5880-680: The Society's annual meeting in 1927. In 1955, Pashtun intellectuals including Abdul Qadir formed the Pashto Academy Peshawar on the model of Pashto Tolana formed in Afghanistan. In 1974, the Department of Pashto was established in the University of Balochistan for the promotion of Pashto. In Pakistan, Pashto is the first language around of 15% of its population (per the 1998 census). However, Urdu and English are
5985-598: The administrator of Hajipur , refused to recognize Ghiyasuddin Mahmud Shah as the Sultan of Bengal accusing him of assassinating Sultan Alauddin Firuz . He formed an alliance with Sher Shah, who saw this as an opportunity to crush the power of the Lohani nobles allied with Mahmud Shah. Mahmud Shah sent several expeditions against Sher Shah, which were all defeated. Makhdum Alam however, was killed and his estates fell to Sher Shah upon his death. In 1534, Mahmud Shah sent an army of artillery , cavalry and infantry under Ibrahim Khan to conquer Bihar, with Jalal Khan accompanying
6090-399: The age of 73 or 59. At the end of his reign, Sher Shah's empire spanned nearly the entirety of Northern India, excluding Assam , Kashmir , Gujarat , and the North-West Frontier Province . He was succeeded by his son, Jalal Khan, who took the name Islam Shah Suri . Sher Shah was buried in the tomb of Sher Shah Suri , which stands in the middle of an artificial lake at Sasaram , a town on
6195-401: The backdrop to weakening Pashtun power following Mughal rule: Khushal Khan Khattak used Pashto poetry to rally for Pashtun unity and Pir Bayazid as an expedient means to spread his message to the Pashtun masses. For instance Khushal Khattak laments in : "The Afghans (Pashtuns) are far superior to the Mughals at the sword, Were but the Afghans, in intellect, a little discreet. If
6300-518: The campaign. However, Sher Shah launched a sudden attack on the combined forces of the Lohani chiefs of Bihar and Mahmud Shah of Bengal, defeating them at Surajgarh in March 1534, winning a decisive victory. Ibrahim Khan was killed admist the battle, and Jalal Khan was forced to retreat to Bengal. Following the victory, Sher Shah consolidated his control over Bihar. Between 1536 to 1537, Sher Shah followed up his victories by invading Bengal and defeating Mahmud Shah numerous times, occupying all lands west of
6405-453: The chief supervisor of the Muqtars . These reforms increased the prominence of Afghans in Bengal, leading many to settle in the region. Some of these Afghan settlers later established the Muhammad Shahi dynasty , which ruled Bengal from 1553 to 1563, and the Karrani dynasty , which ruled from 1563 to 1576. In 1542, Sher Shah embarked on a campaign to Malwa . Qadir Khan, the ruler of the Malwa Sultanate , had offended Sher Shah by claiming he
SECTION 60
#17327839912106510-594: The city had been abandoned by the Afghans, and the treasury looted. Humayun remained in Gauda for months, restoring order to the city as he was trapped with his army due to the weather. Sher Shah capitalized off of this, seizing Bihar and Varanasi , reclaiming control over Chunar, and laying siege to Jaunpur . Other detachments of the Afghan army extended as far as Kannauj . As a result, Humayun found himself effectively stranded in Gauda with no lines of communication. Learning of unrest in Agra , Humayun immediately sought to settle for peace with Sher Shah. However, as he crossed
6615-539: The commission and publication of Pashto textbooks. The Pashto Tolana was later incorporated into the Academy of Sciences Afghanistan in line with Soviet model following the Saur Revolution in 1978. Although officially supporting the use of Pashto, the Afghan elite regarded Persian as a "sophisticated language and a symbol of cultured upbringing". King Zahir Shah (reigning 1933–1973) thus followed suit after his father Nadir Khan had decreed in 1933 that officials were to study and utilize both Persian and Pashto. In 1936
6720-439: The conquest of Marwar, Sher Shah besieged Kalinjar Fort in 1544. Due to continuous resistance from the Rajputs, he besieged the fort for seven months. The circumstances regarding Sher Shah's death are uncertain. Some sources state that he was mortally wounded by a gunpowder explosion when one of his cannons burst. Another account suggests that during a battle, as he descended from a rampart and ordered his men to hurl bombs into
6825-616: The death of Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, Puran Mal regained control of Raisen , which had been annexed by Bahadur Shah in 1532. Following the re-capture of the city, Puran Mal was accused of committing tyrannies unto the Muslim populace, which Puran Mal denied. After assembling an army, the Rajputs, facing defeat, surrendered under the promise of safe conduct. Puran Mal withdrew from the fort with 4,000 Rajputs, including their families. However, after being ill-advised by fanatic Muslims, as well as Muslim widows appealing to him after allegedly suffering under Puran Mal's rule, Sher Shah gave permission for
6930-410: The different tribes would but support each other, Kings would have to bow down in prostration before them" Pashto is a subject–object–verb (SOV) language with split ergativity . In Pashto, this means that the verb agrees with the subject in transitive and intransitive sentences in non-past, non-completed clauses, but when a completed action is reported in any of the past tenses, the verb agrees with
7035-443: The eighth century. It was an extraordinary claim, implying as it did that the history of Pashto literature reached back further in time than Persian, thus supplanting the hold of Persian over the medieval Afghan past. Although it was later convincingly discredited through formal linguistic analysis, Habibi's publication of the text under the title Pata Khazana ('Hidden Treasure') would (in Afghanistan at least) establish his reputation as
7140-443: The epithet Sultan Adil, meaning "Just King." He further took on the name Sher Shah. As Humayun fled, Sher Shah pursued him with split detachments. He then seized Agra , defeating the Mughals there and sent Khawas in pursuit of Humayun. The pursuit and flight of Humayun allowed Sher Shah to capture and enter Delhi , beginning the consolidation of his rule there by reorganizing its administration. As Humayun reached Lahore in July 1540,
7245-401: The estate by defeating one of his governors. In 1526, the Lodis were overthrown , bringing the Mughals to power under Babur . During this time, Behar Khan Lohani established an independent state in Bihar and assumed the title of Sultan Muhammad. With the aid of Junaid Khan, the Mughal governor of Jaunpur, Sher Shah joined Mughal service. In April 1527, after Babur launched a campaign against
7350-400: The field of education in the NWFP, had constructed a type of three tiered language hierarchy. Pashto lagged far behind Urdu and English in prestige or development in almost every domain of political or economic power..." Although Pashto used as a medium of instruction in schools for Pashtun students results in better understanding and comprehension for students when compared to using Urdu, still
7455-518: The first Rupiya organized the postal system of the Indian subcontinent , as well as extending the Grand Trunk Road from Chittagong in Bengal to Kabul in Afghanistan, significantly improving trade. Sher Shah further developed Humayun's Dina-panah city, renaming it Shergarh , and revived the historical city of Pataliputra , which had been in decline since the 7th century CE, as Patna . Additionally, he embarked on several military campaigns that restored Afghan prominence in India. His birth name
7560-484: The fort, one bomb reflected back and hit a cache of bombs, causing a large explosion. Some people escaped with minor burns, while Sher Shah was found half-burned and taken to his tent, where he remained for two days. Despite his critical condition, he ordered his men to swarm the fort, advancing close to the fort with his troops. Upon hearing that the fort had finally fallen, he remarked, "Thanks to Almighty god." Sher Shah succumbed to his wounds and died on 22 May 1545, at
7665-399: The government of Pakistan has only introduced Pashto at the primary levels in state-run schools. Taimur Khan remarks: "the dominant Urdu language squeezes and denies any space for Pashto language in the official and formal capacity. In this contact zone, Pashto language exists but in a subordinate and unofficial capacity". Some linguists have argued that Pashto is descended from Avestan or
7770-403: The governor of Chunar , was assassinated by his stepson. In the aftermath, his wealthy widow, Lad Malika, sought a protector to secure her position. Recognizing Sher Shah's growing influence, she agreed to marry him. Through these negotiations, which were kept secret from Taj Khan's sons, Sher Shah gained control of Chunar. This acquisition significantly bolstered Sher Shah's power and influence in
7875-436: The governor of Gauda . However, suspicious of Sher Shah's intentions, Qadir Khan fled to Gujarat , leaving Malwa annexed to Sher Shah's domain. Sher Shah consolidated his new territories before returning to Agra, also receiving submission from the ruler of Ranthambore . Shujaat Khan was appointed as the new governor of Malwa, with further attempts from Qadir Khan to reclaim Malwa ending in failure against Shujaat Khan. After
7980-466: The industries of the Dalmia Group at Dalmianagar resulted in widespread unemployment. Sasaram's economy is mainly driven by agriculture and related industries like rice polishing . The canal irrigation system is also very prominent in this area. Because of the fertile land around the town, it is a local trading center for food grains, agricultural products, and agricultural equipment, the region
8085-402: The insurrection initially succeeded, capturing Ghazipur and Banaras . However, upon the arrival of Mughal forces, Mahmud Lodi abandoned the army. After this, many Afghan nobles including Sher Shah submitted to Babur. In early 1530, the death of Dudu Bibi enabled Sher Shah to become the regent for Jalal Khan, effectively making him the de facto ruler of Bihar. Despite his growing power, many of
8190-1087: The jagirs of Khwaspur, Sasaram, and Hajipur in Bihar. Hasan had several wives and fathered over eight sons, with Nizam Khan being Sher Shah's only full brother. One of Sher Shah's stepmothers was cruel to him, and Hasan, being too submissive to his wife, was unable to intervene. As a result, Sher Shah sought refuge with Jamal Khan, aiming to gain experience and further his education. Sher Shah pursued his education in Jaunpur for several years, studying subjects such as history and religion. On one occasion, Hasan visited Jamal Khan in Jaunpur and encountered some of Sher Shah's relatives, who spoke of Sher Shah's potential for future greatness. Impressed by these accounts, Hasan invited Sher Shah to manage his domains in 1497. Sher Shah accepted his father's offer and embarked on implementing numerous reforms. His early administrative career focused on combating corruption. One of Sher Shah's significant reforms as administrator of his father's domains
8295-617: The literary language of the royal court, was more widely used in government institutions, while the Pashtun tribes spoke Pashto as their native tongue . King Amanullah Khan began promoting Pashto during his reign (1926–1929) as a marker of ethnic identity and as a symbol of "official nationalism" leading Afghanistan to independence after the defeat of the British Empire in the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919. In
8400-483: The native elements of the lexicon are related to other Eastern Iranian languages . As noted by Josef Elfenbein, "Loanwords have been traced in Pashto as far back as the third century B.C., and include words from Greek and probably Old Persian". For instance, Georg Morgenstierne notes the Pashto word مېچن mečә́n i.e. a hand-mill as being derived from the Ancient Greek word μηχανή ( mēkhanḗ , i.e.
8505-560: The population and females 48%. Sasaram has an average literacy rate of 80.26%, higher than the national average of 74%; male literacy is 85%, and female literacy is 75%. In Sasaram, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age. Sasaram is the 8th most populous city in Bihar. SAHAJ Vasudha Kendra, the first "Common Service Centre", or "eKiosk", in Rohtas District was inaugurated in Jamuhar village on 15 August 2008. The centre
8610-465: The possessed in the genitive construction, and adjectives come before the nouns they modify. Unlike most other Indo-Iranian languages, Pashto uses all three types of adpositions —prepositions, postpositions, and circumpositions. *The retroflex rhotic or lateral, tends to be a lateral flap [ 𝼈 ] at the beginning of a syllable or other prosodic unit, and a regular flap [ ɽ ] or approximant [ ɻ ] elsewhere. In Pashto, most of
8715-437: The qualities of greatness and the marks of mightiness. Suspecting a rising plot against him, Sher Shah departed Agra and left Mughal service, returning to his Jagirs in 1528. He sought refuge under the protection of Sultan Muhammad of Bihar. Upon Sher Shah's arrival, he was warmly received and appointed as the guardian of Muhammad's son, Jalal Khan. In October 1528, Sultan Mohammad of Bihar died, and his queen, Dudu Bibi, assumed
8820-482: The quarrying industry. Major languages spoken in this region are Bhojpuri , Hindi , English and Urdu ; religions of the population include Hinduism , Islam , Buddhism , Christianity , Sikhism , and Jainism . During the Vedic age , Sasaram was a part of the ancient Kashi kingdom . Sasaram's name derives from Sahastrarama , meaning "one thousand groves". Sasaram was once also named Shah Sarai (meaning "Place of
8925-407: The regime of Akbar . The Rohtas Fort in Bihar should not be confused with another fort of the same name , near Jhelum , Punjab , in present-day Pakistan . The Rohtas Fort in Sasaram was also built by Sher Shah Suri, during the period when Humayun was exiled from Hindustan. There is a temple of Goddess Tarachandi , two miles to the south, and an inscription of Pratap Dhawal on the rock close to
9030-652: The region between the Chenab and the Indus rivers. Sher Shah then entered into conflict with the Gakhars , who had historically been difficult to subjugate despite attempts by previous rulers. Sher Shah initially attempted diplomacy, inviting the Gakhar chief to acknowledge him as the emperor of India. However, the Gakhar gave an insulting response which enraged Sher Shah. In retaliation, Sher Shah marched through Punjab, subjugating
9135-580: The region, as he now controlled a significant fort and a large treasury. The death of Mughal Emperor Babur in December 1530 saw the Afghan insurrection rejuvenated, and Mahmud Lodi again returned. Sher Shah immediately ignored Mahmud's attempts of garnering Sher Shah's aid until he was promised all of Southern Bihar . After further being visited by Mahmud, Sher Shah acquiesced. The combined Afghan forces marched on Banaras and Jaunpur , with Junaid Khan withdrawing to Agra. The Afghan forces followed up their victories by seizing Lucknow . Humayun, entrenched in
9240-443: The region. This place is also known for preparation of competitive exams at Sasaram Railway junction . According to earlier natives of this city, there was not proper electrification of city around 2007 to 2008, which hampered the studies of students seeking for competitive exams. Indian Railways had a 24-hour power supply at Sasaram junction, leading a small group of students to study there at night under electric lights. Besides
9345-400: The region. In March 1541, Khijir Khan , the governor of Bengal under Sher Shah, led a revolt, as well as marrying a daughter of the former Sultan, Mahmud Shah. Sher Shah mobilized an army and personally led it to defeat Khijir Khan, restoring Bengal to his suzerainty. He then divided Bengal into 47 smaller administrative divisions, each overseen by a shiqdar , with Kazi Fajilot established as
9450-400: The reign of Sher Shah. Written by Abbas Sarwani , the source was significant toward detailing the conquest of Bengal by Sher Shah as well as the magnitude of his reforms, and greatly benefited in contribution towards the history of medieval India. The system of tri-metalism which came to characterize Mughal coinage was introduced by Sher Shah. While the term rūpya had previously been used as
9555-430: The role of regent . Sher Shah was appointed as her deputy governor, allowing him to begin consolidating his position in the region through a myriad of military and administrative reforms. These reforms significantly strengthened his position, making him one of the most influential Afghan leaders in India. In 1529, Sher Shah anticipated joining Mahmud Lodi, the younger brother of Ibrahim Lodi in his insurrection against
9660-444: The subject if it is intransitive, but with the object if it is transitive. Verbs are inflected for present, simple past, past progressive, present perfect, and past perfect tenses. There is also an inflection for the subjunctive mood . Nouns and adjectives are inflected for two genders (masculine and feminine), two numbers (singular and plural), and four cases (direct, oblique, ablative, and vocative). The possessor precedes
9765-418: The temple of Chandi Devi. Hindus in large number assemble to worship the goddess. Dhua Kund , a notable waterfall, is located about 15 km (9.3 mi) from the city. Rohtas, south of Sasaram, is known to have been the residence of one Satyawadi Raja Harischandra, named for his son, Rohitashwa . Sasaram is also famous for an inscription by Ashoka (one of the thirteen Minor Rock Edicts ), situated in
9870-550: The tribes inhabiting the lands west of the Indus River were part of Ariana . This was around the time when the area inhabited by the Pashtuns was governed by the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom . From the 3rd century CE onward, they are mostly referred to by the name Afghan ( Abgan ). Abdul Hai Habibi believed that the earliest modern Pashto work dates back to Amir Kror Suri of the early Ghurid period in
9975-486: The two official languages of Afghanistan alongside Dari , and it is the second-largest provincial language of Pakistan , spoken mainly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the northern districts of Balochistan . Likewise, it is the primary language of the Pashtun diaspora around the world. The total number of Pashto-speakers is at least 40 million, although some estimates place it as high as 60 million. Pashto
10080-411: The two official languages of Pakistan. Pashto has no official status at the federal level. On a provincial level, Pashto is the regional language of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and north Balochistan . Yet, the primary medium of education in government schools in Pakistan is Urdu. The lack of importance given to Pashto and its neglect has caused growing resentment amongst Pashtuns. It is noted that Pashto
10185-658: The world. Other communities of Pashto speakers are found in India , Tajikistan , and northeastern Iran (primarily in South Khorasan Province to the east of Qaen , near the Afghan border). In India most ethnic Pashtun (Pathan) peoples speak the geographically native Hindi-Urdu language rather than Pashto, but there are small numbers of Pashto speakers, such as the Sheen Khalai in Rajasthan , and
10290-462: Was Farid Khan. After 1526, he was conferred the title Sher Khan, and following his ascension as Sultan of Hindustan in 1540, he became known as Sher Shah. His surname 'Suri' was taken from his Pashtun Sur tribe. He was a distant kinsman to Babur's brother-in-law, Mir Shah Jamal, who remained loyal to Humayun. The name Sher (means lion in Persian) was conferred upon him for his courage, when as
10395-505: Was carved out from Shahabad district in 1972. This district headquarters is best known for having the highest literacy rate and highest agricultural & forest cover area of Bihar. Sasaram is also the headquarters of a community development block of the same name, with a total population of 358,283 as of 2011, making it the most populous block in Rohtas district. It is known for the production of cement, fertilizers, stone chips, and for
10500-519: Was engaged in military campaigns elsewhere, Sher Shah overran the Bengal Sultanate and established the Suri dynasty. He defeated the Mughals and drove them out of India, establishing himself as emperor in Delhi. As ruler of Hindustan, Sher Shah led numerous military campaigns, conquering Punjab , Malwa , Marwar , Mewar , and Bundelkhand . A brilliant strategist, Sher Shah was both a gifted administrator and
10605-453: Was equal to him, as well as failing pledged aid against the Mughals. Upon arriving in Gwalior , the governor of the city submitted to the Afghans. The Afghan army continued their march to Sarangpur . Believing defeat was imminent, Qadir Khan left Ujjain and awaited at Sarangpur for Sher Shah's arrival. Sher Shah received him, they together advanced into Ujjain. Sher Shah then made Qadir Khan
10710-634: Was officially renamed to Dari . The lyrics of the national anthem of Afghanistan are in Pashto. In British India , prior to the creation of Pakistan by the British government, the 1920s saw the blossoming of Pashto language in the then NWFP : Abdul Ghafar Khan in 1921 established the Anjuman-e- Islah al-Afaghina (Society for the Reformation of Afghans) to promote Pashto as an extension of Pashtun culture; around 80,000 people attended
10815-476: Was renowned as one of the most skillful Afghan generals in history. By the end of his reign, his empire covered nearly all of Northern India . Born between 1472 and 1486 and given the name Farid Khan, his early childhood saw him flee from home due to internal family strife. He pursued an education in Jaunpur , where his rise to power began after his father offered him a managerial position over his jagirs . Sher Shah effectively governed these territories, gaining
10920-472: Was the assessment of land revenues, along with defining and establishing commissions for tax collectors. However, despite these reforms, Sher Shah faced resentment and intrigue from his stepmother, who had initially forced him to flee, and his step-brothers. This opposition eventually led to Sher Shah resigning from his post in 1518, after serving as manager for 21 years. Following his resignation, he initially engaged in banditry before departing for Agra , which
11025-568: Was under the rule of the Lodi dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate . Sher Shah remained in Agra until his father's death, after which he received his father's jagirs from Sultan Ibrahim Khan Lodi . Returning to his jagirs in 1520—21, Sher Shah began administering them while in the service of Behar Khan Lohani . Conflict emerged however over the split of his father's land between his brothers, and Muhammad Khan Sur initially drove Sher Shah from
#209790