Chandigarh: the City Beautiful

There are no words to describe the beauty of CHANDIGARH in India.

Chandigarh is a timeless city established in India. The boundless beauty of its surrounding coupled by developments and establishments make it a place to be.

OVERVIEW OF CHANDIGARH

Chandigarh is a planned and organized city; the best in the country. It is also a union territory – thus, it is not a part of any state. But it is the capital of two states: Punjab and Haryana. Contrary to other cities in the country, Chandigarh is a safe.

GEOGRAPHY

Chandigarh has a total land area of 114 square kilometers. There are a total of 47 sectors in the city – each with its own shops, academe, health care, places of worship, open spaces and residential areas.

The whole city is divided into 4 areas: the capital complex at the north, universities and institutions of engineering, architecture, Asian studies and medicine on the west, the industrial city on the east, and the city center is at the south (sector 17).

The city is also a nice place to drive. The roads are wide with a scenic view. Along the road, motorists are greeted by banyan and eucalyptus plantations. There are also chinar, ashoka, cassia, mulberry, and many other trees located along the way. These plants and forests are home to a number of plant and animal species.

Chandigarh (2)

Another place of interest is Sukhna Lake. The lake is the home to a number of birds like ducks, geese and migratory birds.

CLIMATE

The city experiences extreme climate conditions. Citizens and tourists experiences hot hummers, mild winters and an unreliable amount of rainfall. Temperatures could range from -1 degrees Celsius to 46 degrees Celsius.

The city experiences five distinct seasons:

• Spring – this happens from end of February until early April with temperatures ranging from 5 to 20 degrees Celsius. This is the most enjoyable time to visit in terms of temperature.
• Summer – this happens from mid-April to end of June with temperatures reaching as high as 44 degrees Celsius.
• Monsoon – this happens from early July to mid-September.
• Autumn – this happens from end of September to mid-November with temperatures reaching 30 degrees Celsius.

Panjab University during spring (3)

• Winter – this happens from end of November until end of February with temperatures ranging from 1 to 14 degrees Celsius.

DEMOGRAPHICS

In 2011 the city had a total population of more than one million people, with around 55% male. 79 percent of the whole population are Hindus, followed by Sikhs, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, and Jains.

The predominant language spoken is Punjabi. Other languages spoken include Hindi, Haryanvi, and English.

CULTURE

Chandigarh is a culturally rich city. It is very popular due to its folk dances – bhangra, gidda, julli, sammi, and teeyan, music, rituals and traditions. Being a multicultural city it practices traditions from Punjabi, Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim cultures.

There are also a number of colorful and lively festivals like Baisakhi, gurpurab, lohri, tika, and many more. These festivals are celebrated with abundance of food, music, and costumes. During important festivals the common attire for men would be sherwani and women wear sari.

PLACES TO VISIT

Being a young city in India, it is oozing with modernism and a vibrant way of life. Tourists from everywhere and all walks of life flock to the city to admire the unique architecture and urban design.

Despite being modern and advance, the city is still in tune with nature. Chandigarh has one of the largest forests in the country. It is also one of the cleanest cities in India.

Here is a list of places that shouldn’t be missed when visiting the city.

• Sukhna Lake

Sukhna Lake (1)

Sukhna Lake is an artificial lake which is being supplied by rain. The lake is popularly used for various festivities such as the Mango Festival.

Recreational sports that are done in the like include rowing, yachting, surfing, skiing, and sculling. It is also a popular place to do bird watching.

Sailing at Sukhna Lake (4)

• Leisure Valley

Another famous attraction in Chandigarh is Leisure Valley. Leisure Valley is known as a series of gardens from Rajendra Park in Sector 1, Rose Garden, Shanti Kuni, Bougainvillea Garden, Hibiscus Garden, Garden of Fragrance and many more. The valley spans a total of 8 kilometers.

• Rock Garden

Rock Garden (5)

Another popular attraction is Rock Garden or Nek Chand’s Rock Garden which is located near Sukhna Lake. The garden occupies a total of more that forty acres.

It is popular to tourists because of the sculptures made from waste materials like frames, mudguards, forks, handle bars, metal wires, play marbles, porcelain, auto parts, and many more.

• Zakir Hussain Rose Garden

Rose Garden (6)

Another popular garden within the vicinity is Zakir Hussain Rose Garden. It was established in 1967 and named after India’s former president. The said botanical garden covers 30 acres of land, with more than 50,000 rose-bushes, and 1600 different species.

Aside from roses there are medicinal plants like bel, bahera, harar, camphor, and yellow gulmohar. Every February or March the garden is used to host the Festival of Gardens.

• Open Hand Monument

Open Hand Monument (7)

The most prominent architecture and landmark in the city is the Open Hand Monument. According to the architect who designed the structure, it is a sign of “peace and reconciliation.

It is open to give and open to receive.” The largest monument is located at sector 1 and stands at 26 meters. The said monument moves with the wind.

• Government Museum and Art Gallery

Government Museum and Art Gallery (8)

To visit the Government Museum and Art Gallery is a unique experience. It is the home a number of unique collection of art objects, paintings, and sculptures.

The museum is divided into four wings: art gallery, national history museum, national gallery of portraits, and the Chandigarh architecture museum.

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