An Insight :
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
and Chandigarh is now known as the city designed by him. 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. Chandigarh also serves as a convenient base for those seeking to
travel to the Northern Indian Hill stations of Shimla, Kullu-Manali,
Dharamsala etc and serves as a gateway to the state of Punjab.
Lets Explore Chandigarh :
» 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.
» Sukhna lake - Also in Sector 1, the Sukhna Lake
is an artificial reservoir. 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.
» 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.
» Rock Garden - No description of Chandigarh city
can be complete without a mention of its most celebrated creations-the Rock
Garden. Spread over 12 acres of wooded land near the Capitol Complex the
Rock Garden of Chandigarh is the creation of a humble road inspector called
Nek Chand. The urban waste material turned into creative patterns and
textures, mute rocks turned into art objects attract tourists to Chandigarh.
A visit to the Rock Garden is a must for all the tourists traveling to
Chandigarh.
Museums :
Government Museum and Art Gallery - The Government
Museum and Art Gallery in Sector 10 of Chandigarh has a fine collection of
stone sculptures of the Gandhara period. The museum is the place to see the
prehistoric fossils and artifacts along with modern art and miniature
paintings. The Government Museum and Art Gallery of Chandigarh is open from
10.00 a.m. to 4.30p.m. and is closed on Mondays.
Museum of Evolution of Life - The Museum of Evolution
of Life in Sector 10 of Chandigarh takes tourists on a trip 5,000 years back
from the Indus Valley Civilization to the present day. Chandigarh city's
Museum of Evolution of Life is open from 10.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. and is
closed on Mondays.
Where is Chandigarh?
» By Air - Chandigarh is connected to Delhi and
Mumbai by daily flights.
» By Rail - The railway station is 7 km away from
the city center. Superfast trains connect Chandigarh with Delhi. Chandigarh
is also a stop on the Delhi/Kalka trains.
» By Road - Chandigarh is well connected by road to
most parts of North India. It is 260 kms from Delhi.
