Sasaram Knowledge Guide

History

Minor Rock Edict of Ashoka

Sasaram is also famous for an inscription by Ashoka (one of the thirteen Minor Rock Edicts), situated in 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.". 24.94138°N 84.03833°E / 24.94138; 84.03833 Devanampriya [speaks] thus. .................. years since I am a lay-worshipper (upasaka). But (I had) not been very zealous. A year and somewhat more (has passed) since ............ And men in Jambudvipa, being during that time unmingled with the gods, have (now) been made (by me) mingled with the gods. [For] this is the fruit [of zeal]. ...........cannot be reached by (persons of) high rank alone, (but) even a lowly (person) is able to attain even the great heaven if he is zealous. Now, for the following purpose (has) this proclamation (been issued), (that) both the lowly and the exalted may be zealous, and (that) even (my) borderers may know (it), and (that this) zeal may be of long duration, And this matter will (be made by me to) progress, and will (be made to) progress even considerably; it will (be made to) progress to one and a half, to at least one and a half. And this proclamation (was issued by me) on tour. Two hundred and fifty-six nights (had then been) spent on tour, — (in figures) 256. And cause ye this matter to be engraved on rocks. And where there are stone pillars here (in my dominions), there also cause (it) to be engraved.

Transportation

Road

Sasaram is well connected both by road and railways. The NH 19 (old number: NH 2; Grand Trunk Road) passes through the city. The main mode of local transportation are buses operated by both private operators and the state government. The private buses are more frequent and connected to most of the local bazaars. NH 19 connects Delhi in the north-west via Varanasi, Mirzapur, Allahabad, Kanpur and Kolkata in East via Gaya, Dhanbad. Various state highways also connect Sasaram with Patna, the capital of Bihar (via Bikramganj, Piro, Ara), Buxar (on the bank of the holy river Ganga via Kargahar, Kochas, Rajpur). There are also many AC buses available for Sasaram to New Delhi, Patna, Bokaro,Ranchi, Tata.

Railway

Sasaram has a big size railway junction. The station belongs to A+ class category with 8 to 9 platforms. The station has to be developed as the world-class & world heritage which is located at the centre of the city on the Grand Trunk Road. Sasaram's other stations are Shivsagar, kumahu, Nokha, Karwandiya, Pahleja and Dehri on Sone. Pahleja is developed as goods & freight centre substation. The railway route through Sasaram is the Grand Chord line of Indian Railways, connecting Kolkata and New Delhi, and has three (2 more are under construction) railway tracks running in parallel. Another railway line connects Sasaram Junction to Patna Junction via Ara. More two railway lines are proposed to be constructed here. Sasaram station is 101 Kilometers away from Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhaya station (Less Than 1.5 Hours) and about 120 Kilometers, or two hours journey from Varanasi, and 101 kilometres from Gaya station. Gaya station is 20 kilometres away Bodh Gaya, the most sacred place in Buddhism. Trains run from Sasaram to Kolkata, Ara, Ranchi, Patna, New Delhi, and Bombay. 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 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.

Airport

Sasaram has also a small and old airport called Suara Airport. A new airport is proposed to be established in near future.,