Pul Kanjari in Amritsar

The city of Amrisar is a land of remarkable history, book your cheap flights to Amritsar and experience the history of Pul Kanjari.

It is another heritage sight built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh around which are sewn many tales and legends. Situated near the villages of Daoka and Dhanoa Kalan right on the Wagha border, Pul Kanjari is about 35km from both Amritsar & Lahore. The Maharaja would often rest and leisure here in the majestic Baradari while passing by along with his royal troop and retinues. Despite a ruined fort and a baoli (a bathing pool) this heritage sight has a temple, a Gurudwara and a mosque which bespeak of the secular concerns of the Maharaja. The inside of the dome on the corner of the baoli enshrines a number of scenes and sights from the Hindu scriptures and the Raj Darbar.These frescoes are laced with floral frames.

Pul Kanjri was captured by the Pakistani army during the Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971, and was recaptured by the Indian Army later. A memorial column, constructed in the memory of the jawans of Sikh regiments, who had recaptured Pul Kanjri from the Pakistani army in 1971, stands as a testimony to the supreme sacrifices.

People used to come to Pul Kanjri from far-flung areas, including Amritsar and Lahore, for shopping. Basically, the town was inhabited by Arora Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus who lived happily till Partition. The historical town has been reduced to a tiny village now. Those who survived the bloodbath in 1947 left the place and settled in Amritsar, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, Mumbai and other parts of the country. But every year on August 22 (mid August), they come here to pay tributes to their ancestors and perform akhand path in the memory of those who had died.

The name 'Pul Kanjari' sounds rather odd as 'Pul' means a bridge and 'Kanjari' is a dancing woman or girl. There is a strange story behind this name and it relates to the Maharaja and his favourite 'Kanjari' called Moran.

It is said that once as she was coming from Lahore on horse she lost one of her silver sandals in the canal which was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan to carry the waters of the Ravi to Lahore to irrigate the Shalimar Gardens. Moran was furious as the pair of sandals was presented by the Maharaja.

Disappointed as she was over her loss, she refused to perform before the Maharaja. The maharaja immediately ordered a bridge to be built over the water channel and the township thus came to be known as Pul Kanjari'. The channel has since dried up as the waters of the Ravi are no longer carried to Lahore.

A trip to Amritsar will give you an opportunity to explore the authentic beauties of the past as well as the present. Book your cheap flights to Amritsar with Oceans Travel and experience the colourful traditions and values of India. With regular flights from Birmingham to Amritsar, London Heathrow to Amritsar and all other major UK airports you will find a fantastic deal. Popular flights such as Air India, Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines, Qatar Airways, Turkmenistan Airlines and Uzbekistan Airways fly to Amritsar. Don't miss out and book your cheap ticket to Amritsar with Oceans Travel.