Question

Give reasons:

We say that Sher Shah looked after the welfare of his people.

Answer 1

1. Sher Shah constructed an excellent network of roads, mainly the Grand Trunk Road from Peshawar to Sonargaon (Bengal). He also built roads from Agra to Jodhpur and Chittor. He built another road from Lahore to Multan.
2. To make travel comfortable Sher Shah built sarais and wells at regular intervals.
3. Trees were also planted on both sides of the roads. In all, 1700 sarais (inns) were constructed for the travellers. These sarais gradually gained in importance and became the centres of trade.
4. Special officers known as Muqaddams were appointed to ensure the safety of travellers.
5. Roads helped Sher Shah to establish a good postal system and promoted inland trade.
6. His roads and sarais have been called ‘the arteries of the empire’.
7. Sher Shah divided his empire into 47 provinces (sarkars). Each sarkar was them divided into many districts (parganas). A pargana comprised several villages.