LOCAL ATTRACTION

Background

After the partition of India in 1947, tens of thousands of migrants from West Punjab settled in the eastern towns within India. Lahore, the capital of undivided Punjab, went to Pakistan. The Indian side was left without a capital city. These two factors led  the selection of a site in the foothills of the Shivalik range in 1948 for building a new capital city. Deriving its name from an existing village, Chandi (the powerful Goddess) – Garh (fortress) was symbolic of the new energy that powered a rebuilding mission in post-Independence India.

Sightseeing

Government Museum and Art Gallery

Open from 10.00 hrs to 16.30hrs. all days except Monday and official holidays.

An important building designed by Le Corbusier, in the moving spirit behind its eventual construction in 1968 was Dr. M.S. Randhawa, Chandigarh's first Chief Commissioner, and himself an art scholar. Ratna Mathur Fabri, an outstanding Indian designer made the museum furniture, display screens, showcases and frames. The present museum (earlier housed in temporary quarters) opened on May 6,1968.In 1949 the collection of the Central Museum, Lahore, was divided between India and Pakistan. India's share, the core collection of this museum, included 619 Gandhara sculptures and 92 ancient sculptures from other periods, as well as 447 miniature paintings (mainly from the Punjab Hills but with some Persian, Mughal and Rajasthani works in addition). Besides there were small collection of objects in stucco and terra cotta metal, ivory, lacquer, ceramic, enamel and fabric. Over the past 40 years more than 9,000 objects have been acquired, the total number of works now exceeds 10,000. A guide to the museum, a catalogue of contemporary art, a catalogue of Brahmanical sculptures and series of picture postcards are on sale in the museum lobby. Art scholars may consult more than 6,000 books and journals in the museum's reference library. All the manuscripts of Dr. M.S. Randhawa are also preserved here. The museum's documentation section has an extensive collection of photographs and slides. Documentation of the Gandhara Collection has been computerised: computerised documentation of other collections is underway.

National Gallery of Portraits

Open from 09.00 hrs to 17.00 hrs all days except Saturday & Sunday and official holidays.

Opened on September 11,1977 with photographs and paintings of 125 prominent figures of India's Independence movement. The exhibits are intended to chronicle the struggle for freedom from 1857 to 1947. The gallery now contains 1066 photographs plus facsimiles of original writings, sculptures, ceramic murals and glass-box tableaux depicting turning points in the independence movement. The gallery's library contains some 1300 books on the freedom struggle. One can also hear the taped voices of many of India's patriots.

International dolls museum

Open from 10.00 hrs to 17.00 hrs all days except official holidays.

Set up on December 24, 1985 in Bal Bhawan, Sector 23, it contains more than 300 dolls from nearly every country in the world. Ten ceramic murals and a large model train completes the display.

Punjab Kala Kendra

Open from 10.00 hrs to 17.00 hrs all days except Sunday and official holidays.

Set up in Sector-16, the Kendra is the office of the Punjab Arts Council (Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi). Exhibitions are frequently organised in its large galleries and the Punjab Lalit Kala Akademy's permanent collection of contemporary art is also on display here.

The Rock Garden

Open from 10.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs all days except Thursday and official holidays.

This unique sculpture garden, the work of the city's internationally acclaimed artist Nek Chand, spreads over 64 acres. The visitor is led through a maze of paths, chambers and canyons, each presenting a glimpse of a fantasy world. The Rock Garden has charmed millions of visitors since it was first opened to the public in 1976 not only by the visual delights if offers, but its strange history. Nek Chand was a road inspector of the city Public Works Department when he began to transform a dump of discarded building materials. He kept the garden a closely guarded secret.....Never suspecting that one day critics would praise his unique works and he would exhibit them in Paris's Museum of Modern Art and in other cities around the world. The first phase of the rock Garden is a small canyon... part natural, albeit peculiar, rock forms, and part amalgam of broken ceramic fixtures, pebbles and coal slag. It's the sort of place that might be inhabited by trolls. The canyon opens into a series of "chambers" each one filled with scores of human and animal forms in concrete and broken ceramic or glass. Each one is different. The second phase recreates a mountain village on the banks of a stream, its inhabitants --some humble, --some aristocratic --sensed rather than seen.

Sukhna Lake

A manmade lake spread over 3 square kilometers on the northern border of the city. At the entrance to the park one reads Corbusier's Edict of the Lake."The founders of Chandigarh have offered this lake and dam to the citizens of the new city so that they may escape the humdrum of the city life and enjoy the beauty of nature in peace and silence".
The tree-shaded promenade around the lake is a favorite spot to stroll and enjoy the tranquil ambience. Paddle-boats and yachting are another pleasant diversion....or one may simply relax at the cafe run by the Chandigarh Tourism Development Corporation.
The lake and its heavily wooded shores constitute a nationally protected wetland. This is a favorite spot for bird watchers. From December through February, aside from scores of local species, one can see many species of aquatic birds from Central Asia and Siberia that find the lake a pleasant place to pass the winter. The lake also has a full length water course, developed in 1989 when the city hosted the 1989 Asia Rowing Championship.

Leisure Valley

Leisure Valley runs through the entire length of the city, 8 kms long, about 400 metres broad at its widest points, oriented north-east to south-west following the course of an existing seasonal stream.
Sections of Leisure Valley are known by the following separate names.

Bougainvillea Garden

Open on all days. 20 acres, Sector 10

The garden is devoted to hundreds of bougainvillea varieties. The creepers cover a wide assortment of arches, bowers, pavilions and arcades. Fitness Trails wind through this garden, designed to give each person who completes the route a complete exercise regimen by the time they reach the end. The annual Bougainvillea Show is held here.

Zakir Rose Garden

Open on all days. 30 acres, Sector 16.

Named after India's President, Zakir Hussain, the garden was established in 1967 under the guidance of Chandigarh's first Chief Commissioner Dr M.S. Randhawa. The largest Rose Garden in Asia, it is spread over an area of 27 acres and has more than 17,000 plants representing some 1,600 varieties of roses as well as several fountains. This garden is the venue of the annual Rose festival, an event listed on the national calendar of fairs and festivals. This is one of the main cultural events of the city and draws thousands of visitors.

Shanti Kunj

Open on all days. 18 acres, sector 16.

The name means "Abode of Peace"; trees, pools and streams crossed by curved bridges and a large number of meditation nooks define this garden. There is also an open air stage.

Children's Traffic Park

Open on all days.

Concrete paths wander over the gently rolling slopes of this park; they are laid out to form "roads and intersections" and furnished with all sorts of road signs. This place, safe from heavy speeding vehicles is useful for children who are learning to cycle, and designed to teach them to use the road safely.

Terrace Garden

Open on all days. 8 acres in Sector 33

A small valley running the length of the sector has been developed into a terraced flower garden and a garden for walkers with an illuminated musical fountain. The garden is the venue for the annual Chrysanthemum Show.

Excursions Around Chandigarh

Pinjore Yadavindra Gardens
20 kms from Chandigarh on the Pinjore Kalka road.
This is a traditional Mughal garden, created in the 17th century by Nawab Fidal Khan, architect to the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. According to Hindu mythology, the Pandava brothers rested at this place during their exile. The gardens are laid out over more than 100 acres on a sloping site with fountains and pavilions. It is open on all days and accommodation is available in at Rang Mahal and Sheesh Mahal.

Bhima Devi Temple
22 kms from Chandigarh on the Pinjore Kalka Road.
The shrine, part of the Panchayatan group of temples, dates back to the 11th and 14th centuries. Ancient idols unearthed from this spot are on display.

Chattbir Zoo:
15 kms from Chandigarh on the Chandigarh-Patiala Road.
The zoo spreads over an extensive wooded area on the banks of the Ghaggar river. More than 100 different mammals, birds and reptiles are kept at the zoo. It also has a large population of lions and tigers which can be viewed from safari vehicles.

Cactus Garden:
This unique garden laid out over several acres in the heart of Panchkula contains hundreds of species of cactii and succulents -- some of them extremely rare. It draws not only tourists but botanists.

Mansa Devi & Chandi Mandir
10 kms from Chandigarh in Panchkula.
These two temples were pilgrimage spots long before Chandigarh came into being. The goddess Chandi gave her name to the city. These temples are typical examples of North Indian temple architecture. Attached to the Mansa Devi temple is a large garden of sacred plants.

Bhakra-Nangal
116 km from Chandigarh.
This is the highest dam of its kind in the world; it spans the Satluj river. The hydroelectric station here provides power not only for Chandigarh but for Delhi and many other cities. A 40 square km reservoir, the Gobind Sagar stretches out behind the dam. Restaurant, boating facilities and accommodation are available.

Morni Hills
23 kms from Chandigarh.
This high spur of the Shivaliks is a protected forest and a favorite spot for trekkers and nature lovers. One can definitely expect to see peacocks, rhesus monkeys and langoors; take the help of a Forest Ranger to get a glimpse of nilgai and sambhar and leopards. Several hotels, including Mountain Quail run by the Haryana Tourism Corporation offer accommodations.

Kasauli
77 km from Chandigarh.
A hill station popular for its unspoiled charm and quiet trails. At night one gets a lovely view of the lights of Chandigarh from here. Many reputed public schools are located near Kasauli.

Chail
107 kms from Chandigarh.
Built by the Maharaja of Patiala as a summer palace, Chail is now a posh hotel. Chail boasts the world's highest cricket pitch in addition to superb views of the mountains.

Shimla
107 kms from Chandigarh.
This sprawling hill town, now the capital of Himachal Pradesh, was British India's summer capital. Excellent bus service makes it easily accessible from Chandigarh or one can travel by a charming meter gauge train. Shimla's attractions include the Mall and the Ridge, scores of grand old buildings including the Vice regal Lodge (now the Institute of Advanced Studies), the Jakhoo Temple with its hordes of monkeys, the thickly wooded Glen and Chadwick Falls, Annadale grounds and the Tibetan Bazaar. It is a major tourist destination and one will find plenty of accommodation and travel services.

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