The Sarai at Gharaunda is situated on the old Grand Trunk Road,16 km south of Karnal.At present the saraiis devoid of any inscription but European traveller Captain Mundy sawaninscription on one of the Gateways. According the inscription, it was built byKhan Feroz in CE 1637 during the reign of Shah Jahan. The sarai is named after the Mughals. Before the battle of Panipat in CE 1526, Babur camped here.Akbarnama alsomention a ‘sarai Karunda’ before the second battle of Panipat.The saraiwas quadrangular in shape having cells on its four sides.A high battlement wall enclosed the courtyard of the sarai with bastions at its angles. The history of the sarai is also associated with first war of independence against the British rule in 1857 CE.It is said that the Sarai was demolished by Britishers for dislodging some of the rebels.Once a very beautiful building, now only two of its gateways are surviving.
Gateways provided in the middle of the northern and southern walls are three-storeyed and made of lakhauri bricks, has central domed chambers on either end of which have arched openings. The inner side of the gateway is lower in height and is provided with projecting balconies. In the wings, flanking the central passage, are cells and staircases leading to the terrace. The exterior façade, exuding an imposing look, is decorated with panels on either side of the multifoil arched-openings with projecting balconies, resting on brackets at the first floor level. At the outer ends rounded towers having semi-circular and angular flutes are interspersed with gunslits.
In view of its historical importance, it was declared protected as a monument of national importance vide notification no. 1083 dated 01.12.1914.