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Not many of us would be aware that Dera Baba Nanak (DBN) is of immense military importance and a place of the famous Battle of DBN in 1971. It also witnessed great tank battles. The area falls in the Shakargarh Bulge and the DBN enclave is with Pakistan. An enclave is an area where the International Border (IB) is in front, and the river is at the back. So, in the DBN enclave, Pakistan is east of River Ravi ie across the river on India side and IB is ahead, 2 Kms west of DBN town. The area therefore gains immense military importance. Southwest of DBN town lies the Kassowal enclave where India is west of the River Ravi ie across the river on the Pakistan side and the IB still ahead. The bridge on the Ravi was destroyed by the Indian forces in 1971. Now the river Ravi has to be crossed on a boat or through causeway at places other than the Kartarpur corridor, where an elevated road has been constructed. Earlier the Amritsar- Dera Bab Nanak railway line extended up to Narowal in Pakistan, where it joined the main line to Sialkot. Now the rail link is broken due to the bridge having been destroyed and the line ends at DBN. The land is very fertile and interestingly the farmers on both sides are tilling the land right up to the IB and not an inch has been left barren.
