Pul Moran (Pul Kanjari)

Pul Moran has been declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. It was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh and is located 35 kms from Amritsar and just 5 kms from India-Pakistan border (Atari-Wagah border) between the Daoka and Dhanoa Kalan villages near Wagah Border. During Maharaja’s rule, Pul Moran developed as one of the most important trading hubs. It is believed that Maharaja used to stay and rest here for a few days along with his royal troop while travelling between Amritsar and Lahore.

The place was named as Pul Kanjari (Pul means a bridge and Kanjari means a dancer) after a Pul (bridge) that was built by Maharaja for her beautiful favourite dancer called Moran. During his stay, Maharaja was often entertained here by her. It is believed that one day as she was coming to perform for the Maharaja, she lost one of her silver sandals while crossing a nearby canal built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to carry water from river Ravi to Shalimar Gardens in Lahore. This upset Moran so much that she refused to perform before the Maharaja. When Maharaja came to know about this, he ordered to construct a bridge immediately over the canal and hence it was named as ‘Pul Kanjari’ and later ‘Pul Moran’.

Pul Moran and the surrounding area became a town of traders for the people of Amritsar and Lahore. It got fame as a busy trade centre where people from both the cities and other towns used to come and shop. People came and settled their business and houses here and the town expanded with inhabitants from different communities. The town once known as a hub of business and trade suffered a lot during the partition of India. People left the town and migrated to Amritsar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Lahore, Sialkot and other parts of India and Pakistan. The area was also captured for a short period by Pakistan during the 1971 war but was then gloriously recaptured by India in the battle.

Pul Moran now has a baradari, a historic sarovar with a temple, remnants of an old canal and a mosque that bespeak its historic and secular concerns. It also has a memorial dedicated to the Jawans of Sikh Regiment who laid down their lives in the war. Every year on 22nd August, a fair is organized here to offer tributes and prayers in the memory of the deceased. This historical monument has been renovated and is being conserved jointly by The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and the Government of Punjab. The temple, baradari, sarovar and the war memorial have been given a new feel and the place is worth paying a visit.

Shiv Temple

There is a Shiv Temple made of Nanak Shahi Bricks on the right side of the memorial. A beautiful piece of art and paint work called Minakari is done on the ceiling and the walls of the temple. They portray pictures and scenes from the popular Punjabi folk tradition which have now washed out with time.

Sarovar

Initially, it was used as a storage house for the water but later on it was called as a Sarovar to which water was supplied from the nearby canal. There is an open space for the male visitors and a covered room for the female visitors to take a dip in the Sarovar.

Baradari

Baradari is the stay house of Maharaja Ranjit Singh where he used to stay and rest and his army used to camp while travelling. The house is known as Baradari because of the twelve doors it has in all the directions of the house.

Pul Moran saw carnage once again during the war of 1971 between India and Pakistan when it was captured briefly by the Pakistan Army. Later, after a fierce battle, it was recaptured by the Sikh regiment of the Indian Army on the night of 17th and 18th December 1971. During this attack Lance Naik Shangara Singh demonstrated unmatched bravery in clearing two machine gun posts which were holding the Indian attack back.

Shangara Singh moved through a minefield and threw a grenade bomb at one of the Pakistani posts. He then charged towards the second machine gun and jumped over the Pakistani soldier and snatched the gun from him. As he stood there with the gun in his hands, he had a fatal burst in his abdomen and fell to the ground with the gun still holding tight in his hand.

He was awarded a posthumous Maha Vir Chakra. Naik Subedar Gian Singh received a posthumous Vir Chakra. Later, the Pakistanis tried to recapture the Pul Moran village using a company of 43 Punjab regiment and two companies of 15 Punjab regiment. The Sikhs stood firm and imposed heavy casualties on Pakistan’s 15 Punjab regiment. In another local counter attack Sikhs captured 1 officer and 8 OR's of 43 Punjab and 4 OR's of 15 Punjab.