Bihar: Sasaram and Rohtas fort

thasala · Jun 13th, 2008, 06:19

Has anyone visited either of these two places in Bihar recently? I have been reading about the history of them lately and I expect to be in Kolkata at the end of the year and if there is enough interesting architecture still remaining I'd like to go there. I am particularily interested to know what sort of condition Rhotas fort is in and how difficult it is to access it.

Thanks

edwardseco · Jun 13th, 2008, 09:42

If you are a fan of Sher Shah Suri it would be a must. I have seen a report that it is in Maoism territory but no first hand..

thasala · Jun 13th, 2008, 23:31

Yes the current security situation in the area is a concern. From what I gather about Bihar generally it is considered not smart to travel at night anywhere in the state except perhaps on an inter-city express train of some sort.However,I would like to know the actual condition of Rohtas fort itself and if it is easy and safe to reach while travelling alone most likely on a local bus.

edwardseco · Jun 14th, 2008, 02:44

Me too!!

thasala · Jun 16th, 2008, 23:49

Jeez, it certainly looks like nobody ever seems to visit Rohtas fort(aka Rohtasgarh)in Bihar. I absolutely love out of the way places in India particularily when there is a fort to discover somewhere in the area but this is ridiculous. Does anyone have any info about this fort at all?
Thanks again

singsub · Jun 17th, 2008, 00:01

if this is going to be your first trip to india, i would suggest you leave bihar well alone.

thasala · Jun 17th, 2008, 00:17

Actually this will be India trip #7 coming up. What can I say I guess I am a bit of a masochist or perhaps just exhibiting early signs of dimentia.

singsub · Jun 17th, 2008, 00:27

oh fine, since you know your india, please proceed. bihar isnt that dangerous. i stayed in patna for 2 years.

thasala · Jun 17th, 2008, 01:08

I was thinking of perhaps flying or taking the train from Kolkata, where I will enter India, to Patna first and then going on to Sasaram and maybe Rohtas with even a stop at Bhodgaya as well. How did you find Patna? Is there much of interest to see in the city? I like the Mughal, Afghan and Raj era history and architecture of India. Is their much of that in and around Patna to your knowledge?
Thanks

singsub · Jun 17th, 2008, 20:04

patna was described by a resident as "a garbage village". its got the gol ghar to see and some other small time monuments. bodhgaya is good thouh. as is nalanda and vikramshila.

if you like raj architecture then there is no beating kolkata.

for mughal architecture i am not so sure bihar is the place. try delhi and agra. the mughals never had much presence in bihar, and certainly didnt leave behind too many structural marvels.

for one of the best examples of afghan architecture in india, try a place called mandu off indore. in fact try mandu whether or not afghan architecture interests you. cycling through the deserted roads and amongst the ruins of mandu gave me one of my best days on the road.

thasala · Jun 19th, 2008, 00:24

Thanks Singsub for the info on Patna. There is very little info on Patna or Bihar in general in any of the major guide books I have looked at. I was in Mandu about 10 years ago and I think it was one of the most interesting places I have ever visited in India. It was spectacular! So much so that I may return there again this year if I have the time. I find Agra very interesting also but somewhat overwhelming with all the tourists which visit there and the locals trying to cash in on them.

Last year I spent a month in the Deccan visiting places like Bijapur,Bidar,Bongir and Hyderabad and Badami all of which had some superb historical architecture but without the enormous tourist industry to accompany them.

singsub · Jun 19th, 2008, 00:28

you are welcome, though i said nothing flattering or detailed about patna. might i suggest you check out nalanda and/or vikramshila in case you are going to bihar anyway.

glad you liked mandu - when i went there, for some reason the place was near deserted and i had the roads and ruins to myself. i too plan to return there, esp during monsoons. agree with you about bijapur and badami. have you been to pattaadakkal??

thasala · Jun 19th, 2008, 00:40

Yes I did visit Pattadakal which was very interesting but I never made it to Aihole nearby due to problems with the local bus schedules.
I guess it was January or February when I was in Mandu years back. The place was also near empty then as well. However, I read that Mandu really fills up with locals right after the first rains come in the summer. Apparently there is a riot of flowers popping up all over the place there right after a bit of rainfall. I bet it is popular with Indian newlyweds at that time.

singsub · Jun 19th, 2008, 00:43

yeah mandu is one of the few "hill stations" which look beter during the rains. btw, i missed pattadakkal for the same reasons you missed aihole. some things in india need serious improvement.

nitin k · Jun 22nd, 2008, 14:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by thasala

Has anyone visited either of these two places in Bihar recently? I have been reading about the history of them lately and I expect to be in Kolkata at the end of the year and if there is enough interesting architecture still remaining I'd like to go there. I am particularily interested to know what sort of condition Rhotas fort is in and how difficult it is to access it.

Thanks

WHEN DO YOU PLAN TO COME??? WHICH MONTH?? ALONE OR ACCOMPANIED??
I CAN TELL SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I HAVE BEEN THERE RECENTLY

Jun 13th, 2008, 06:19	#1
thasala Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Victoria Canada Posts: 10	Bihar: Sasaram and Rohtas fort Has anyone visited either of these two places in Bihar recently? I have been reading about the history of them lately and I expect to be in Kolkata at the end of the year and if there is enough interesting architecture still remaining I'd like to go there. I am particularily interested to know what sort of condition Rhotas fort is in and how difficult it is to access it. Thanks

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Jun 13th, 2008, 09:42	#2
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 3,789	If you are a fan of Sher Shah Suri it would be a must. I have seen a report that it is in Maoism territory but no first hand..

Jun 13th, 2008, 23:31	#3
thasala Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Victoria Canada Posts: 10	Yes the current security situation in the area is a concern. From what I gather about Bihar generally it is considered not smart to travel at night anywhere in the state except perhaps on an inter-city express train of some sort.However,I would like to know the actual condition of Rohtas fort itself and if it is easy and safe to reach while travelling alone most likely on a local bus.

Jun 14th, 2008, 02:44	#4
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 3,789	Me too!!

Jun 16th, 2008, 23:49	#5
thasala Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Victoria Canada Posts: 10	Jeez, it certainly looks like nobody ever seems to visit Rohtas fort(aka Rohtasgarh)in Bihar. I absolutely love out of the way places in India particularily when there is a fort to discover somewhere in the area but this is ridiculous. Does anyone have any info about this fort at all? Thanks again

Jun 17th, 2008, 00:01	#6
singsub Account Closed Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: right next door to hell Posts: 1,172	if this is going to be your first trip to india, i would suggest you leave bihar well alone.

Jun 17th, 2008, 00:17	#7
thasala Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Victoria Canada Posts: 10	Actually this will be India trip #7 coming up. What can I say I guess I am a bit of a masochist or perhaps just exhibiting early signs of dimentia.

Jun 17th, 2008, 00:27	#8
singsub Account Closed Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: right next door to hell Posts: 1,172	oh fine, since you know your india, please proceed. bihar isnt that dangerous. i stayed in patna for 2 years.

Jun 17th, 2008, 01:08	#9
thasala Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Victoria Canada Posts: 10	I was thinking of perhaps flying or taking the train from Kolkata, where I will enter India, to Patna first and then going on to Sasaram and maybe Rohtas with even a stop at Bhodgaya as well. How did you find Patna? Is there much of interest to see in the city? I like the Mughal, Afghan and Raj era history and architecture of India. Is their much of that in and around Patna to your knowledge? Thanks

Jun 17th, 2008, 20:04	#10
singsub Account Closed Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: right next door to hell Posts: 1,172	patna was described by a resident as "a garbage village". its got the gol ghar to see and some other small time monuments. bodhgaya is good thouh. as is nalanda and vikramshila. if you like raj architecture then there is no beating kolkata. for mughal architecture i am not so sure bihar is the place. try delhi and agra. the mughals never had much presence in bihar, and certainly didnt leave behind too many structural marvels. for one of the best examples of afghan architecture in india, try a place called mandu off indore. in fact try mandu whether or not afghan architecture interests you. cycling through the deserted roads and amongst the ruins of mandu gave me one of my best days on the road.

Jun 19th, 2008, 00:24	#11
thasala Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Victoria Canada Posts: 10	Thanks Singsub for the info on Patna. There is very little info on Patna or Bihar in general in any of the major guide books I have looked at. I was in Mandu about 10 years ago and I think it was one of the most interesting places I have ever visited in India. It was spectacular! So much so that I may return there again this year if I have the time. I find Agra very interesting also but somewhat overwhelming with all the tourists which visit there and the locals trying to cash in on them. Last year I spent a month in the Deccan visiting places like Bijapur,Bidar,Bongir and Hyderabad and Badami all of which had some superb historical architecture but without the enormous tourist industry to accompany them.

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Jun 19th, 2008, 00:28	#12
singsub Account Closed Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: right next door to hell Posts: 1,172	you are welcome, though i said nothing flattering or detailed about patna. might i suggest you check out nalanda and/or vikramshila in case you are going to bihar anyway. glad you liked mandu - when i went there, for some reason the place was near deserted and i had the roads and ruins to myself. i too plan to return there, esp during monsoons. agree with you about bijapur and badami. have you been to pattaadakkal??

Jun 19th, 2008, 00:40	#13
thasala Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Victoria Canada Posts: 10	Yes I did visit Pattadakal which was very interesting but I never made it to Aihole nearby due to problems with the local bus schedules. I guess it was January or February when I was in Mandu years back. The place was also near empty then as well. However, I read that Mandu really fills up with locals right after the first rains come in the summer. Apparently there is a riot of flowers popping up all over the place there right after a bit of rainfall. I bet it is popular with Indian newlyweds at that time.

Jun 19th, 2008, 00:43	#14
singsub Account Closed Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: right next door to hell Posts: 1,172	yeah mandu is one of the few "hill stations" which look beter during the rains. btw, i missed pattadakkal for the same reasons you missed aihole. some things in india need serious improvement.