Among many monuments located in Sultanpur Lodi, the Sarai is situated near Guru Khalsa College in the middle of the town close to Kapurthala Road. It presently houses the local police headquarters in a building constructed later in the courtyard. The Sarai is planned in form of a rectangular enclosure with a central open space or a court in the middle with four octagonal bastions at each corner of the enclosure. Unlike other Sarai’s this one only has one access gateway located in the middle of the north side of the enclosure while the south side, opposite the gateway houses three rooms. The gateway is a three storied structure with a central arched opening and octagonal bastions covered with cupolas on both ends. Facade is decorated with niches of various sizes. The rooms for travellers were arranged along the periphery of the enclosure facing the central open space. Only three rooms survive today on the east side of the wall, covered with domical roofs. Corner bastions also accommodate chambers. The enclosure with its rooms and gateway is constructed of brick covered with plaster and lime washed. The sarai also has remains of a few buildings of the British period that now lie in ruins. A mosque is located in the court of the Sarai with a typical plan of nave and two aisle type – a rectangular layout consisting of three linear bays, each accessible through an individual arched opening where the central one projects out from the two adjoining ones. All the bays are covered by domes, the central one being the largest and topped with inverted lotus and finials. Each corner of the mosque is marked with octagonal minarets. The structure is constructed of brick, plastered and lime washed.
Located along the river Kali-Vali towards the west, about a kilometer before the bridge 2, Mughal bridge -1 was built around 1607-1617. It is now a defunct entity. The bridge that had collapsed long back has been levelled. A hotel is constructed above it on the levelled surface. A suggestion of an arch from the bridge remains.
The bridge is located on the river Kali-Vali towards west direction, near a Tomb of the same period in Sultanpur Lodi town. This bridge constitutes a linear structure spanning the width of the river supported over series of 7 pointed arched piers. The piers are further supported by decorative buttresses. Historical records state the the structure is supported on well foundations. The bridge is constructed in brick and plastered and painted. It is a defunct entity just like Bridge -1
The only Kos Minar in the town is in dilapidated state and is located at the Bus Stand.
An octagonal tomb of an unknown person is located on the north side of the river Kali Vali in the open fields. Four alternate sides of the octagon are provided with recessed arched openings spanning the height of the façade, flanked by blind arches on both sides of the opening. The remaining four sides of the tomb have deep recessed niches located on two levels forming a decorative feature. These niches are embellished in plasterwork at the lower level. The interior chamber also houses a number of niches of varying depths and at two levels. A domical roof spans the interior of the tomb. Brick is employed to construct the structure which is then plastered and painted on the interiors and exterior façade.
CENTER FOR ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY