Chandigarh
is the twin capital of the northern states of Punjab and Haryana. However, it
belongs to neither state. It is a union territory and is directly under the
administration of the Indian government. It is one of the youngest cities in
India and the main languages spoken are Hindi and Punjabi.
The town derives its name from Goddess Chandi Devi whose temple stands
15-km form Chandigarh.
One of the few modern planned cities in
India, Chandigarh is divided into 47 self-contained sectors. Architects
Albert Mayer and Mathew Novicki drew the initial plans in New York. When the
latter died in an air crash in 1950, the work was entrusted to Le Corbusier,
a well-known architect and planner.
One can see architectural
genius in the neat geometrical design of residential quarters, reinforced
concrete structures and self-contained area layouts. Each sector of the city
is designed with its own shops, academic, and health care buildings, places
of worship, open spaces, greenery and the residential areas.
The
city is divided into four major work areas. In the north, the capital
complex, consisting of the Secretariat, Legislative Assembly and High Court,
with the hills as a background dominating the city. Sector-17, which is the
city and district centre, housing the administrative and state government
offices, shopping malls, banks and other offices. The west contains the
university, and institutions of engineering, architecture, Asian studies and
medicine. Finally the east zone, which is the industrial area of the city.
Population: About 1 million
Climate:
Summers are very hot. A good time to visit is after the rains, from
September to November. Winters in Chandigarh can be quite cold, and days are
crisp, smog-free and clear. Sunny winter afternoons are delightful and early
mornings are chilly, as are the nights.
Best times to visit:
Between September and February.
Open Hand Monument
The Open Hand Monument, a symbol of harmony and peace, is situated in Sector
1 along the main road leading into the city. The first thing you'll notice as
you is the waist-high wicker fence which says 'for hon'ble judges only'. The
best time to visit the Open Hand Monument in the early evening. There's is no
entrance fee to the monument grounds. The monument is itself at a large distance
away from the gate. It almost looks like a bird, slowly rotating on rusted bearings.
It is, in fact, a large, open, metal hand pointed skyward. Some locals believe
that the hand is supposed to represent the map of Haryana. The base of the monument,
which supports the shaft and hand, has been fashioned out of a large, solid
chunk of iron sunk several meters into the ground. The metal monument is 14
meters high and weighs 50 tons. The amazing thing about this monument is that
it still rotates smoothly about its bearings.
Nek Chand's Rock Garden This Rock Garden is probably
Chandigarh's premier attraction, a popular spot for tourists. It was created
by Nek Chand Saini, a resident of the city, in 1958. He used discarded
objects of everyday use like bottles, tin cans, broken plugs, plates,
saucers and rocks from the nearby Shivalik mountains to create a 40-acre
fantasy labyrinth garden with arched walkways, streams, bridges, grottos,
battlements, turrets and sculptures of people and animals. Highlights
include armies of stone ducks, papier-mache soldiers, pig iron dancers and
goblins. The park is open daily from April to September between 9 a.m. to 1
p.m. and 3 to 7 p.m. Between October and March, it is open from 9 a.m. to 1
p.m. and 2 to 6 p.m.
Sukhna lake Also in Sector 1,
the Sukhna Lake is an artificial reservoir. A popular place to hang out, one
can expect to find residents of the city jogging or strolling along the
banks. There is a walking path, a cafeteria, shops and a mini-amusement park
and paddleboats. The Sukhna Lake was created in 1958 by damming the Sukhna
Choe, a seasonal stream that flows down from the Shivaliks. Storks and
cranes make migratory stops at the lake. The lake, incidentally, has Asia's
longest water channel for rowing and yachting.
Capital
Complex This area, with its monumental public buildings is the site
of architect Le Corbusier's most ambitious experiments. The concrete campus
and its accompanying lawns are meant to express the strength and unity of
independent India. They are also Le Corbusier's way of staging the functions
of government in symbolic and geometric relation to one another and to the
rest of the city. For tourists, the High Court and the Open Hand Monument
are more accessible than the Legislative Assembly and the Secretariat.
Leisure Valley The linear Leisure Valley was sculpted
from a dried riverbed. It is over 8 km long and runs through most of
Chandigarh. The valley consists of several segments, each with its own
theme. Flower gardens, jogging tracks and tennis courts dot the trail.
There's even an open-air theatre and a sculpture park in the sector 10
section of the Valley.
Government Museum and Art Gallery
One of three museums clustered in Sector 10, the Government Museum and Art
Gallery contains a modest collection of Indian stone sculptures, miniature
paintings and modern art. The miniature paintings belong to the Mughal,
Rajasthani and Kangra schools of art while the sculptures are from the
Gandharva school of art.
National Gallery of Portraits
Nrityagram Located in sector 17 B, this gallery
was inaugurated in September 1977. It is filled with portraits of Indian
freedom fighters, rare documents and recordings of the voices of prominent
figures of India's Independence movement. The gallery also contains
photographs and facsimiles of original writings, sculptures and ceramic
murals. Punjab Kala Kendra
The Punjab Kala Kendra is the office of the
Punjab Arts Council (Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi). Exhibitions are frequently
organized in its large galleries and the Council's permanent collection of
contemporary art is also on display here. Museum of the Evolution of Life
(Science Museum)
Inaugurated on 14 August 1973, this museum is
famous for a large gallery that depicts the origin of the earth and the
evolution of life. Other galleries introduce the viewer to astronomy,
geology and the world of ancient man. International Dolls Museum Situated in
Bal Bhawan, Sector 23, the international dolls museum contains more than 300
dolls from nearly every country in the world. Ten ceramic murals and a large
model train complete the display.
The Festival of Gardens: This is a three-day
extravaganza, organized in the last week of February. Known earlier as Rose
Festival, it was intended to encourage people to walk through the Rose
Garden and enjoy the beauty of roses. The festival features performances of
music and dance, both classical and folk, flower shows, events for children,
exhibitions by local artists, photographers and craftsman and a wide range
of other activities.
April Fools' Day:This is a
unique gathering of various poets from all over the country at Chandigarh.
Even those who do not ordinarily enjoy poetry look forward to the 'Maha
Moorkh Sammelan', or 'Conclave of Colossal Fools'. Chandigarh is the only
city in India that hosts such a gathering.
Baisakhi:
This is the first day of the New Year in the traditional calendar. It
celebrates the wheat harvest, and is one of the main festivals for the Sikh
community. As the capital of two states, Punjab and Haryana, this day sees
festivities organized by both the state governments as well as the
Administration of the UT, and by all the residents.
The Mango
Festival In June, mango-growers from all over India are invited to
enter their prize fruits in the various competitions. Visitors to the fair
can see and taste all the traditional varieties of the fruit as well as the
latest hybrids from the agricultural universities. It is also an occasion
for agro-industries, and food industries processing mangoes into jams,
pickles and canned fruit to display their products.
Teej:
Held in the first week of August, this traditional festival is
celebrated by women only. The Rock Garden with its swings and pavilions is
the venue for the festivities and the day is basically a grand picnic with
songs and dances, purchase of new bangles and painting of hands with
'mehandi'.
HOW TO GET THERE:
By Road: Chandigarh is well-connected by road from
Delhi,
265 kms, and other major North Indian cities. It also serves as a gateway for
the North Himalayan hill stations of
Shimla
and Kullu/Manali.
By Air: Indian Airlines and Jet Airways
connect Chandigarh to Delhi and Amritsar with regular flights.
By
Rail: Chandigarh is well linked with its principal gateway city, Delhi,
by frequent super fast trains.
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India Travel Hotel.
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