| Sarai Kale Khan | |
| Settlement Type: | Village |
| Pushpin Map: | India Delhi |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Southeast Delhi, India |
| Coordinates: | 28.5911°N 77.2578°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  India |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Delhi |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | South East Delhi |
| Named For: | Kale Khan |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Languages |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Official |
| Demographics1 Info1: | Hindi |
| Timezone1: | IST |
| Utc Offset1: | +5:30 |
| Postal Code Type: | PIN |
| Postal Code: | 110013 |
Sarai Kale Khan is an urban village in the South East Delhi district of Delhi. The area is well-connected to the rest of Delhi through the Delhi Metro's Pink Line and a nearby Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT), offering convenient transportation options. Located next to Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station on the Indian Railways network, this station serves as one of Delhi's five main railway hubs and operates as both the originating and terminal station for 60 trains. The ISBT functions as a terminus for most buses heading to cities and towns south of Delhi and includes a DTC bus depot, supporting the Mudrika Seva (Ring Road Bus Service) and various other bus routes.
The area around Sarai Kale Khan served as a rest house (in the form of a caravanserai) for travelers and caravans along the royal route connecting the Mughal imperial courts and Chandni Chowk to their retreat in Mehrauli, about 32 km (20 mi) away. This sarai was named after Kale Khan, a Sufi saint from the 14th–15th century, whose resting place, along with that of another prominent Sufi saint from Delhi, is now located within the Delhi Airport complex, marking it as a historical site for travellers' respite.[1]
On the contrary, Kale Khan's Gumbad, a structure from the Lodi era, is located in the Kotla Mubarakpur Complex in South Delhi. According to an inscription on the mihrab inside the tomb, it dates back to 1481 AD. This Kale Khan was a courtier during the reign of Bahlol Lodi in the Lodi period.[2]
Nawab Faizullah Beg, son of Nawab Qasim Jan—a courtier during the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II (r. 1728–1806)—was also a courtier under the reign of the last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar. He built a complex that later became known as Ahata Kaley Sahab, christened after a saint called Kaley Khan who resided there for a time and after whom the area was subsequently named. The complex was later acquired by Bunyadi Begum, poet Mirza Ghalib's sister-in-law, and housed the poet after he was released from debtors' prison.[3] [4]
The name "Sarai" originates from the era of Afghan ruler Sher Shah Suri, who established a network of paved roads, with roadside inns known as "serais" placed every twelve miles to accommodate travelers.
On 15 November 2024, the major intersection outside Sarai Kale Khan was renamed Birsa Munda Chowk in honour of the tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda, commemorating his 150th birth anniversary.[5] [6] The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, under the BJP-led central government, renamed the intersection to Birsa Munda Chowk ahead of the 2024 state elections in Jharkhand, a state in eastern India approximately 750 kilometers southeast of Delhi, where Birsa Munda's legacy enjoys immense popularity.[7] The AAP, the ruling party of Delhi, criticised the central government for unilaterally proceeding with the renaming, arguing that the decision bypassed established protocols that typically involve consultation with the state-level road naming authority. They contended that the central government acted without coordination with Delhi's Public Works Department (PWD), which oversees this jurisdiction. By taking this step independently, the AAP suggested that the BJP-led central government disregarded the procedural norms and the authority of the Delhi government, raising concerns about the legality and transparency of the decision.[8]
Sarai Kale Khan Inter-State Bus Terminal is a major bus terminus complex in Delhi, India, catering to short and long-haul bus services to the neighbouring states of Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.