Chandigarh, Punjab

Rock Garden, Sector 1, Chandigarh. Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandeepachetan/15450419965/in/photostream/

Chandigarh is often called “The Beautiful City,” and also sometimes “The Green City,” and it’s not hard to see why. Urbanisation gracefully co-existing with nature’s preservation – treetop canopies that line the wide roads, sweeping green pastures in every direction. Not only is it this seamless cohesion between man and nature that makes Chandigarh strikingly beautiful, but it’s the people that really leaves that lasting impression on the explorers, that yearning to go back just once more. Chandigarh is infamous for being home to the nation’s youth, the hipsters, the bludgers, the fashionable, the cool, some of which argue, is the most alluring aspect of Chandigarh. Folk songs about the trendy subculture sweep the plains, resonate in the public squares, and reverberate in the bars and clubs, leaving all those who hear, humming the harmonious melodies of The Beautiful City.

Sculptures made from recycled ceramic and bangles.

A winding, and meandering, man-made sculpture garden of abstract dancers, animals, and people, made from recycled scraps like bangles, tiles, ceramic pots, and glasses, all interlinked by arching vines, trees, and cascading waterfalls, - The Rock Garden of Chandigarh is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Punjab. Much of Chandigarh’s quintessential truth is mirrored in this garden, the peaceful solidarity between man and nature. As you weave your way through the twists and turns of this artistic estate, you stumble upon serendipitous discoveries in each new section – small ceramic figures hiding in the corner, giant swings, and hidden rooms. Take your time with this one.

Monkey sculptures made from recycled scraps in The Rock Garden.

Sukhna Lake, Chandigarh. Image sourced from: https://chandigarheverydayblog.wordpress.com/category/blog/

Ending Chandigarh on a serene note, where else can you go except the tranquil Sukhna Lake? Streams of children, families, tourists, friends, and couples flock to the reservoir in Chandigarh’s East, a fantastic conglomeration of the city’s body and spirit. The gaiety echo of children’s laughter as they play on the various amusement rides on offer for the lake’s visitors, the lapping of still water that reflects a mosaic of the setting sun as you enjoy a fleeting ride on a Shikara, the crisp breezes that sway the leaves of the benevolent Peepal tree from above as people of all ages roam along the promenade, all coalesce, forming an infectious, amicable atmosphere that’s hard to separate yourself from. Definitely a place I’ll be revisiting in the future.

- Tanya.