Pul Kanjari

Pul Kanjari is a small village close to the Wagah border on the edge of Amritsar, associated with Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Its name refers to a bridge (pul) that he had built over a canal so that Moran, a Muslim dancer from nearby Makhanpura who performed at his court and later married him, could cross easily. Kanjari was then a term for dancing girls, and the place is also known by the more respectful name Pul Moran.

The canal itself is older: Shah Jahan is said to have had it dug in the early 17th century to carry water from the Ravi to Lahore for the Shalimar gardens. The Maharaja used to halt here in a pavilion while travelling with his troops. Remains of a fort survive along with a baoli whose dome is painted with frescoes of Hindu scriptural scenes, court life and flowers, and a temple, a gurdwara and a mosque stand side by side.