Chandigarh
Introduction
:
Chandigarh, derives its name from a temple Chandi Mandir in
the vicinity of the site selected for the city (deity Chandi,
goddess of power), and a fort or ‘garh" beyond
the temple, called Chandigarh..
Chandigarh was conceived
as the capital of Punjab, in lieu of the lost capital at Lahore.
But Punjab was divided a second time in 1966, and Chandigarh
is today the capital of the States of both Punjab and Haryana.
However, the city does not belong to either. Chandigarh is
a Union Territory, administered by the Government of India.
Chandigarh belongs to its
people. They love the city, and are proud of the quality of
life it continues to provide.
The
Planed City :
Planned by the famous French architect Le Corbusier, Chandigarh
was conceived as a city of Sun, Space and Verdure to fulfill
four basic functions of living, working, circulation, and
care of body and spirit. The master plan is a checkered mesh
of rectangles called sectors, which are intended to be self-sufficient
neighborhood units, enclosed by fast-moving traffic roads.
In fact, a salient feature of the city plan is its novel movement
system, which has a hierarchy of streets for different types
of traffic. A number of city parks have been planned for the
care of the body and spirit. The sun-bathed piazzas of the
city, its neat housing clusters and the broad tree-lined avenues
are visible manifestations of the planning precepts. No wonder
Chandigarh is often called the City Beautiful or the Garden
City -both fond epithets given to it by its residents.
Perhaps a major part of
the city s modernity emanates from the fact that there is
a very large body of youthful student population. The hub
of its activities is the beautiful Panjab University campus
with its impressive red sandstone buildings laid out amid
gardens, water pools, and fountains. The idyllic campus surroundings
inspire academic learning, scholarship and cultural enrichment.
Besides the university, there are also many other premier
institutions of medicine, engineering, architecture and science
located in the city.
The other dominant species
of the city populace is the Government servant-retired or
serving. With the presence of two State Governments of Punjab
and Haryana, and the third one of Chandigarh Administration,
the city abounds with babus and bureaucrats and clerks in
cars or on cycles.
Attractions
:
In terms of attractions, the first thing that comes to mind
is the monumental Capitol Complex, which dominates the city
skyline. Standing aloof, like the Greek Acropolis, at the
foothills of the city, the geometrical concrete buildings
rise from the mounds as giant playful sculptures. The three
major buildings comprising the Capitol Complex are the Secretariat,
the Assembly, and the High Court. All the three are interlocked
to one another as part of a subtle visual composition, delicately
balanced and enclosing grandiose spaces. Between the silhouettes
of these magnificent edifices is juxtaposed the city s most
popular visible symbol: the Open Hand. Conspicuous as a giant
hand in steel, it rotates free with the whims of the winds
from a high concrete pedestal, conveying the message: open
to give, open to receive.
Next to the Capitol Complex,
the most important place to visit is Sector 17, its sleek
shopping area and the city center. Planned around four pedestrian
concourses meeting at a central Chowk, it is a pedestrian
s paradise, dotted with fountains, sculptures, and groves
of tree. In summer one can move from one end of the sector
to the other under the shade of a corridor, and in winter
it is nice to be out in the sun-drenched piazzas. In the evenings,
when the colorful mosaic of neon signs and the aesthetically
illuminated fountains come alive, it becomes the city s biggest
outdoor club. And the people congregate there for the thrill
of the urban rub and the excitement of its shop-front glitter.
A major feature of Chandigarh
is its Leisure Valley, which, like a garland of gardens, ornaments
the city from one end to the other. A natural eroded valley
of the city site with a small gurgling rivulet has been now
developed into a series of theme gardens. The most famous
of these is the Rose Garden. The other prominent parks of
the city are the Garden of Tranquility, Garden of Rare Plants,
Garden of Annuals, and the Bougainvillea Garden.
No description of Chandigarh
gardens 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 of Le Corbusier, it is the creation
of a humble former road inspector: Nek Chand. Turning urban
waste material into creative patterns and textures, his touch
transformed mute rocks into art objects. Mysterious spaces
with stones, rocks and waterfalls recreate the awe and wonder
of primordial nature. This unabashed realm of natural and
manmade creativity attracts people of all age groups, and
from all parts of the world.
Another favorite recreation
spot of the nature-loving people of Chandigarh is the Sukhna
Lake. Created by building an artificial dam on a seasonal
stream, it is spread over a large area. A two-kilometer-long
promenade along the lakeshore is a popular place for strolling.
On any day, early in the morning, fitness buffs of all age
groups can be seen walking, jogging, and performing yoga or
vigorous exercises at the lakefront.
Fairs
And Festivals :
However, it is not bricks, stones and trees alone that infuse
breath into the city s soul. It is essentially the people
and their ethos that etches the image of a city. Although,
the planning of Chandigarh was not intended to be a social
revolution, it has nevertheless shaped the psyche of its people-who
are more secular, integrated and modern in their outlook.
They are also fiercely proud and possessive of their city.
Lacking in age-old cultural
traditions of a typical town, Chandigarh has acquired new
ones to its calendar of activities. People celebrate spring
festivals, tree plantation festivals, rose and chrysanthemum
shows, dog shows and kite-flying festivals with as much gaiety
and zest as they celebrate Diwali, Holi or any other religious
function. Chandigarh citizens are also a very culturally conscious.
For a small city of its size, there are more than five major
auditoriums and a same number of art galleries. Even more
and bigger cultural centers are being planned to be built
to cater to the growing demands of art and theater lovers.
In autumn and winter when the sun is mellow, on a single day
there can be a good number of art exhibitions and concrete
openings in the city. It is usual for the city elite to be
seen and to see such occasions as an important status symbol.
In the final analysis, what
makes Chandigarh extraordinary is the fact that merely within
four decades a barren landscape has been transformed into
a modern and model human habitation. The making of a new city
is like inventing a new tomorrow. And Chandigarh succeeds
in ushering in a new dawn.
Paces
Nearby :
A visit to Chandigarh is not complete without a visit to the
temple of Goddess Chandi, which is located
in Panchkula, 10 km away from Chandigarh. In fact, the name
Chandigarh is derived from this temple. Nearby is the temple
of Mansa Devi. Both the temples are built in the North Indian
style of architecture. Moreover, there is the Panchkula Cactus
and Succulent Botanical Garden, which houses over 2,500 varieties
of cacti and other succulent plants from all parts of the
world. This is the first and the only botanical garden where
a systematic and comprehensive collection of Indian species
of cacti is being.
Located on the banks of
River Ghaggar, 15 km from the city, the Chattbir Zoo is an
ideal getaway from Chandigarh. The zoo lies on the Chandigarh-Patiala
Road. Besides these, Pinjore (now Yadavindra Gardens; 20 km),
Morni Hills (45 km), Kasauli (77 km), Chail (107 km), and
Shimla (110 km) are some of the interesting places to visit
around Chandigarh.
Area: 69.63
sq km
Population: 5,10,565
Languages Spoken: Punjabi, Hindi, English
Religion: Hinduism (74.61%), Sikhism (19.78%),
Others (5.61%)
Maximum Temperature: 42.40 C
Minimum Temperature: 3.40 C
STD Code : 0172
How
To Reach :
By
Air
Chandigarh is connected to Delhi (daily) and Amritsar (bi-weekly)
by flights of Indian Airlines. There is also a weekly flight
to Leh from Chandigarh. Jet Airways has daily flights to Chandigarh
from Delhi. The airport is 11 km away from the main city.
Taxis and auto-rickshaws are readily available for the airport.
By
Rail
The railway station is 7 km away from the city center. It
is well connected to the major cities of India like Delhi
(238 km), Bikaner (575 km), and Jodhpur (827 km).
By
Road
Chandigarh is well connected by road to almost every small
and big town in northern India. Frequent buses ply from Chandigarh
to Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir,
and even Rajasthan. One has a varied choice that includes
luxury buses, ordinary buses and taxis, all of which are readily
available.
|
