Chandigarh, a union territory is located in the foothills of the Shivalik hills is an important tourist destination in North India and is chiefly known for its neat and clean surroundings as well as the smooth roads.
Covering an area of 113 sq. km., it is the first well planned city of India and was the result of joint efforts of Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Albert Mayer and Matthew Nowicki. It also serves as the joint capital of the Haryana and Punjab.
The name for this city was derieved from Chandi which means “The Goddess of Power”. It is a must visit destination for those touring North India especially its most well-known tourist attraction “The Rock Gardens”. Sukhna Lake, an artificial reservoir is another delight for tourists as it hosts various migratory birds.
Rose festival held at the Rose gardens annually features more than 50000 rose trees and more than 1600 species. Add to it the sleazy hotels, pubs and restaurants, alongwith the soaring real estate prices here makes Chandigarh a must visit place for any tourist.
Chandigarh ranks first in the country in terms of Human Development Index and is the wealthiest town in India. The city centre, also known as Sector 17 is the heart of all activities.
Climate: The summer temperature here falls in the range of 31 C – 44 C and the winter temperature falls in the range of 3 C – 14 C. However the best time to visit this tourist attraction is between the months of August and November.
How to reach:
By Air: Daily flights that connect Chandigarh to Delhi international airport. The Chandigarh airport is just 11 km from the city centre.
By Rail: It is well connected by railways as Chandigarh has its own railway station. The railway station is just 7 km from the city centre.
By Road: The facility of bus stand is in sector 17 that links Chandigarh to Delhi, Shimla, Manali, Haridwar. Regular buses and taxis operate from Chandigarh to Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and Rajasthan too.
What to see and what to do:
- The Capitol Complex: It houses the major administrative buildings of Punjab and Haryana states, which include the Legislative assembly, the secretariat and the high court. This complex is an extraordinary example of contemporary architecture.
- Rock Garden: This garden is an outstanding example of fusion of artistry and innovation, whereby urban as well as industrial waste was utilized and beautiful statues and sculptures were made for this garden. Sculptures of temples and palaces as well as statues of animals and people made of glassware, broken china, building materials and boulders to abound here. This park also has waterfalls, trees and pools, as well as an open air theatre. No doubt therefore, this is the most popular tourist attraction of Chandigarh.
- Rose Garden: Also known as Zakir Hussain rose garden, this is the largest rose garden of Asia which houses and displays over 1600 rose species. The annual rose festival which features more than 50000 trees is another major tourist attraction here at Chandigarh.
Other Gardens worth visiting are the, the Leisure valley, Rajendra park, Bouganvillea garden, Hibiscus garden and Shanti kunj. - Sukhna Lake: It is a man made reservoir from where the tourists can enjoy the scenic view of the distant Shivalik hills while boating in the traditional shikara boats. The lake also is full of swans and other water birds.
Museums - Chandigarh houses a variety of museums such as,
- The Government museum and art gallery – Offers a fine collection of sculptures from Gandhara School of the Buddhist period. Fine miniature paintings and prehistoric fossils are also on display here.
- Museum of Evolution of Life – Tourists can view exhibits that depict transition from prehistoric era to the modern era here.
- International Dolls museum –Impressive collection of dolls and puppets from all over the world is there in this museum.
- Bamboo Valley: Spread over about 27.5 acres the bamboo valley has 15 species of trees other than bamboo grooves.
- Botanical Garden: The garden has 15 botanical sections. This garden plays an important role in promoting eco tourism and spreading awareness.
- Leisure Valley: This valley starting from Sector 1 upto Sector 53 has a range of various themed gardens aimed to improve the beauty of the city.
- Sukhna Wildlife sanctuary: This sanctuary is spread over an area of 2600 hectares. Lake catchment area falling in Shivalik Hills. A vast variety of floral and fauna species are found here. This sanctuary also houses a lake for its inhabitants.
