The Grand Trunk Road, an ancient thoroughfare of immense historical significance and one of Asia’s oldest and longest routes, is unexpectedly gaining traction as a key talking point in Bihar’s political landscape leading up to the 2025 elections. This legendary highway’s origins are deeply rooted in Bihar, established centuries before the influence of the Mughal and British empires.
This ancient route, which now connects four major South Asian countries, was originally envisioned and built in Bihar. Its foundation is credited to two significant regional monarchs. Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Dynasty, ruling from his capital Pataliputra (modern Patna) in the 4th Century BCE, initiated the construction of this vital imperial road. Known as ‘Uttarapath’, it originally extended from Balkh in Afghanistan to Tamraliptika in West Bengal, with archaeological remnants such as Ashokan pillars and Buddhist sites still marking its ancient trajectory.
Later, Sher Shah Suri, a notable ruler born in Bihar, spearheaded a major revival and expansion of the highway during his tenure from 1540 to 1556 CE. He is widely acknowledged for rebuilding the road, initially to link his capital, Agra, with his hometown, Sasaram, in Bihar. Suri renamed the route ‘Shah Rah-e-Azam’ and extended it from Sonargaon (now in Bangladesh) to Multan (now in Pakistan), also instating trees and rest houses, known as sarais, along its length.
Throughout history, this vital artery has been known by various names under successive empires, serving as a crucial corridor for trade, migration, and military campaigns. From the Mauryan ‘Uttarapath’ to the Suri’s ‘Shah Rah-e-Azam’, and the Mughal’s ‘Badshahi Sarak’ marked by Kos Minars, each era contributed to its evolution. The British eventually modernized it, bestowing the enduring name Grand Trunk Road, a route that largely aligns with India’s modern NH-1 and NH-2.
Stretching from Chittagong in Bangladesh to Kabul in Afghanistan, the Grand Trunk Road continues to be a major artery. The Mughal rulers utilized it as a key ‘tool of governance,’ encouraging commerce and settlement through the provision of sarais. The British regime placed high importance on its modernization, recognizing its strategic military and economic value. The road’s historical role in facilitating extensive movement of people, trade, and cultural exchange has left a lasting impact on the political and cultural development of the subcontinent.