Re: Jernaili Sadak (GT Road) - Footsteps of History from Peshawer to Calcutta
GT Road ( An overview)
Importance
The Grand Trunk Road (abbreviated to GT Road in common usage) is one of South Asia’s oldest and longest major roads. For several centuries, it has linked the eastern and western regions of the Indian subcontinent, passing right across the populous cities of Pakistan and India. Today, the Grand Trunk Road remains a continuum that spans a distance of over 2,500 km and traverses three south Asian countries: Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. It starts in Peshawar in Pakistan and passes through Islamabad and Lahore before entering India at Wagah. Within India, it passes through Amritsar, Ambala, Delhi, Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi and Kolkata and then enters Bangladesh to finally end its journey at Sonargaon in Narayanganj district.
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Earlier Existence
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Recent research indicates that a trading route was in existence during the Maurya empire (circa 322-185 BC), overland trade between India and several parts of western Asia and the Hellenic world went through the cities of the northwest, primarily Taxila (located in present day Pakistan). Taxila was well connected by roads with other parts of the Maurya empire. The Mauryas had built a highway from Taxila to Pataliputra (present-day Patna in Bihar, India).
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Rebuilt by Sher Shah Suri
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In the 16th century, a major road running across the Gangetic plain was rebuilt by the founder of the Sur dynasty, Sher Shah Suri (1472-1545), who then ruled much of northern India. His intention was to link the remote provinces of his vast empire for administrative and military reasons. **The Sadak-e-Azam (royal road) can be seen as the precursor of the modern Grand Trunk Road. Initially built by Sher Shah to connect Agra, his new capital with Sasaram in Bihar (his hometown). This network of roads eventually extended westward to Multan and eastward to Sonargaon in Bengal (now in Bangladesh).
Mughal Era
**The Mughal emperors, who succeeded the Suri dynasty, once again extended the road westwards and at one time crossed the Khyber Pass to reach Kabul in Afghanistan.
The Mughal emperors, who succeeded the Suri dynasty, once again extended the road westwards and at one time crossed the Khyber Pass to reach Kabul in Afghanistan.
During the Mughal (1556-1707) period, Kos Minars (milestones) were created along the road. Kos is a mediaeval measurement of distance denoting approximately three kilometre and Minar is a Persian word for tower. The Kos Minars measures over 30ft and were erected by the Mughals to mark their royal route from Agra to Ajmer via Jaipur in the west, from Agra to Lahore via Delhi in the north and from Agra to Mandu via Shivpuri in the south. Modern highways have come up much along the same route as the one delineated by the Kos Minars.
Abul Fazl recorded in Akbar Nama that in the year 1575, Akbar issued an order that at every Kos on the way from Agra to Ajmer, a pillar or a minar should be erected for the comfort of the travellers. So that the travellers who had lost their way might have a mark and a place to rest. It is believed that Akbar derived inspiration to build Kos Minars from his predecessor, Sher Shah.
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Importance of Kos Minars
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Kos Minars became an institution during the rule of the Mughals that after Akbar, emperor Jehangir and Shah Jahan, both added to the existing network of Kos Minars. In the north they were extended as far as Peshawar and in the east to Bengal via Kanauj.** The geographic span makes for nearly 3000 kilometres of Mughal highways, accounting for nearly 1,000 Kos Minars – one every Kos or three kilometres. However, there is no record as to how many of them have survived.** Besides, there are baolis or stepped-wells containing drinking water built beside some of the Kos Minars.** These pillars also proved important for governance, a horse, a rider, a drummer posted at every Kos Minar, and royal messages could be relayed back and forth with great speed. Some historians believe that the Kos Minars were principally made to facilitate transportation rather than communications.
British Era**
In the early days of the road, Mughal emperors travelled on elephant in a royal entourage that could comprise more than a thousand people. From the time of Sher Shah Suri, a network of caravanserai were established along the road at regular intervals to service travellers and trees were planted on both sides of the road to give shade. The road was later improved by the British rulers of colonial India and renamed the ‘Grand Trunk Road’ (often referred to as the ‘Long Walk’), and was extended to run from Calcutta to Peshawar to span the major portion of British India. In later years it played an important part in maintaining colonial administration and postal services. And life along the road, in all of its varieties, is as vibrant as ever, keeping it a vital artery of the subcontinent.
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http://www.asianartnewspaper.com/article/the-grand-trunk-road%3A-from-delhi-to-the-khyber-pass**
