Chandigarh

In 1992, Nek Chand, a humble transport official, began to clear a little patch of jungle to make himself a small garden area. He set stones around the little clearing and before long had sculpted a few figures recycled from materials he found at hand. Gradually Nek Chand's creation developed and grew; before long it covered several acres and comprised hundreds of sculptures set in a series of interlinking courtyards. After his normal working day Chand worked at night, in total secrecy for fear of being discovered. When they did discover the garden, local government officials were thrown into turmoil. The creation was completely illegal, a development in a forbidden area. However, rather than demolishing the garden, they decided to give Nek Chand a salary so that he could concentrate full-time on his work, plus a workforce of fifty labourers.

The city houses the largest rose garden in Asia. It also hosts an annual rose festival which is quite popular among the local population.

You have to jump through some hoops to visit the Secretariat. First you need to find ‘Reception’, which is just a small building out the back, and show them your letter to get a visitor permit, then you need to see Security, who will let you in, then you need to see the main security officer inside, who will send you up to the Registrar, who will then send you back to the main security office. Thankfully you are escorted through most of this confusing, overly complex procedure, usually by a junior soldier with large machine gun. The whole process takes about 30 min to an hour. Once it’s all clear you can go up to the roof, check out the geranium gardens and take in an expansive view of all of Chandigarh. Then they will let you have a look out the front, which is more interesting.

Sukhna Lake is an artificial reservoir. A popular place to hang out, one can expect to find residents of the city jogging or strolling along the banks. There is a walking path, a cafeteria, shops and a mini-amusement park and paddleboats. Shikaras are also available. The Sukhna Lake was created in 1958 by damming the Sukhna Choe, a seasonal stream that flows down from the Shivaliks. Storks and cranes make migratory stops at the lake. The lake, incidentally, has Asia's longest water channel for rowing and yachting. Visiting Sukhna Lake in the evening or early morning is a particularly pleasant experience.

The museum has a collection of more than 250 dolls and puppets from over 25 countries, including India, Japan, Germany, Russia, and the United Kingdom. The dolls are made of a variety of materials such as wood, cloth, papier-mâché, and porcelain. The exhibits are arranged in various themes, such as fairy tales, Indian mythology and traditions, historical periods, and social causes.

It was set up in 1977 in the heart of Chandigarh. The Museum has a vibrant and varied collection of portraits, busts, sculpture, images, prints of rare documents, photos and paintings based on India’s struggle for Independence. It has a big rectangular half comprising of 41 information panels describing details of movements and conspiracies during long freedom struggle of India from British Rule.

The house of Chandigarh's first Chief Architect, Pierre Jeanneret has been converted into a museum. The Swiss-born architect Pierre Jeanneret, a cousin of Le Corbusier, was instrumental in the design and development of the capital city of Chandigarh. The three bedrooms on first floor have been opened up as guest rooms.

The old Architect's office is one of the earliest buildings constituted in Chandigarh. The museum was a workplace of Le Corbusier and his team therefore, building is of immense historic value to Chandigarh. The modest structure of building may well be considered as a seminal attempt at introducing concepts of sustainability and green architecture in the architectural annals of modern India.

The memorial is the largest post-Independence war memorial of the country with nearly 8459 names of deceased soldiers, since 1947 from the Army Air Force and Navy. The Place is designed to pay homage to the Jawans located in Bougainvillea garden. It was inaugurated by Late APJ Abdul Kalam in 2006. The walls of memorial are made from Pink Sandstone. It also has terrace like sitting area hence, makes a perfect place for Open Air theatre for conducting Light and Sound Show.

Opened in 2021, the Chandigarh Bird Park features enclosed aviaries containing aquatic and terrestrial birds, walking paths, and gardens. For an additional fee, you can have a parrot sit on your hand in one of the aviaries.

This stadium, capacity 40,000, was completed in 2021. It hosts the Punjab cricket team and is expected to become the home of Punjab Kings in the IPL. It replaces Mohali stadium, which was bigger but hemmed in among housing.