Begum Ki Sarai

Name of Monument: Begum ki Sarai

Location: Attock

Date of Construction: Early Mughal period

Begum Ki Sarai is located near the Attock Fort the upstream of River Indus. The precise date of construction of this largest Sarai is not known. The square in plan, the Sarai consists of an extensive area measuring 112 x 112 yards, enclosed by high and low boundary walls with each side having a row of arched compartments and a verandah in their front. Originally, at each corner, an octagonal bastion was erected, but presently, only three bastions can be seen. The southwestern bastion has disappeared with time. The main entrance was through a gateway on the east, which together with most of the compartments on that side have now disappeared. A major portion of the present boundary wall and those of the arched compartments were repaired during the closing years of the 19th century by using semi-dressed stones.

The structure is reinforced by a corner tower in which a suite of rooms with overlooking windows towards the river and covered with a dome. The ribs of the dome show that it was built in the early years of the Mughal period. In the southwestern corner of the Sarai is placed a peculiar structure which is popularly known as ‘the mosque’. This seems to be untrue as the structure is symmetrically placed in the courtyard and faces east and west direction but the qibla is in southwestern direction It is more like a baradari. The building has two platforms on either side, the eastern and western. The Eastern platform faces the main entrance to the Sarai and has six steps mounting to the platform. The western platform has no steps. There are about twenty inscriptions on the pillars of this baradari structure.