CHANDIGARH
 Chandigarh, located in north of India, is a union territory of India. At the same time, it serves as the capital of two states, Punjab and Haryana. The genesis of the name Chandigarh has been derived from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, which is devoted to the Hindu Goddess Chandi. The temple is still present in the city's vicinity. Chandigarh is the first planned city of India, and also famous the world over for its architecture and urban planning. The city houses many architectural projects of Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Matthew Nowicki, and Albert Mayer. Apart from having the highest per capita income in the country among all states and union territories, the city has come out as the cleanest city in India.
History
Right after the partition of 1947, the Indian state of Punjab required a new capital city to replace Lahore. Among the chosen cities, the Chandigarh project got prime significance for its strategic location and interests of then Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. In November 1966, another newly-formed Indian state of Haryana was made from the eastern portion of the Punjab. This step was taken to make Haryana as a majority Hindi speaking state. For its prime location and proximity to both the states, Chandigarh was formed into a union territory to serve as capital of both these states.
Culture
Chandigarh exhibits a blend of different cultures as it has attracted people from all parts of India. It is a cosmopolitan city where various diverse groups live peacefully. Several bhavans and sabhas throughout the city are effectively promoting different cultures. The architectural style and display of the shrines of this city also show the diverse culture of the city. At a time, you can find diverse style of worships in the city, like of typical north Indian style, styles of Kerala, Tamilnadu, Orissa & Bengal.
Attractions
Tourists can do innumerable things in Chandigarh. You can easily visit the monuments and see the renowned architecture. At the same time, you can adore the landscaping and further travel through the Leisure Valley. Enjoying the nature tracks or experiencing the development of Chandigarh in the City Museum, or relishing the calmness of the Sukhna Lake can be done.
Tourists can take a look at the three major buildings of the Secretariat, the Assembly, and the High Court. Another place to visit would be Sector 17, city's charming shopping area and the city center to enjoy fountains, sculptures, and groves of trees.
Sukhna Lake
Sukhna Lake is a wonderful recreation spot where the nature-loving people of Chandigarh often go. The Sukhna Lake in Sector 1 is spread over a large area.
The Rose Garden
The Rose Garden is another striking place in the city worth visiting. Here, tourists can easily enjoy thousand varieties of roses. There are many more worth visiting parks in the city, like the Garden of Tranquillity, the Bougainvillea Garden, Botanical Garden, Garden of Rare Plants, Garden of Annuals and the Garden of Aromatic Plants.
Tourists can also take a visit to the government museum and art gallery, the international dolls museum, the Museum of Evolution of life and the hilly forests at Kansal and Nepli.
|
