India is filled to the brim with facts, places and things that often defy logic and leave visitors bewildered. One such marvel of engineering is a Kanpur bridge built without the use of concrete or rebars, way back in 1915.
Here’s everything you need to know about this unique pul in Kanpur.
The bridge is expected to stay strong for next 50 years
Today’s newly constructed bridges, with all their robustness, have nothing on this bridge in Kanpur whose pillars are made entirely of bricks. In fact, the first foundational bricks of the pillars, that stand 25 feet tall, have been laid on the bed of the Pandu river that flows underfoot.
The masterful brick work on this marvel of engineering, done with lime and surkhi mortar, has been strengthened further by a mixture of jaggery powder and pigeon peas. Those responsible for looking after this bridge say that looking at its current state, it is going to stand strong as ever for, at least, the next fifty years.
Pandu River underneath, Ram Ganga Dam above
The backstory of how it has been built is not the only thing that sets this bridge apart. Another interesting fact about this bridge is that while the Pandu river flows underneath, water of the Ram Ganga dam flows on one side of the bridge.
Those using the bridge to commute take the right side of the bridge, soaking in the sheer singularity of this bridge, while there’s a route for pedestrians to cross the river from underneath.
Knock Knock
So, if you’re in or anywhere near Kanpur, make it a point to pay this bridge a visit. And until you plan that trip, take home a lesson from this engineering masterpiece that nothing is quite impossible if you are resourceful enough.
