Chandigarh

The 1st planned modern city of India designed by the French architect Le Corbusier serves as the capital of both Punjab and Haryana. However, the city does not belong to either state. Chandigarh was constituted as a union territory on 1st November, 1966 and is administered by the Government of India. The city is named

after the mother goddess of power, Chandi, and a fort or 'garh' beyond the Chandi temple. The city is divided into 47 numbered sectors. It has well-laid roads lined with rows of trees and beautifully planned buildings. Against the backdrop of the Siwalik smountains, the city looks charming. Chandigarh experiences extreme climate. Best time to visit this place is October to March.

The Rock Garden sprawling over 64 acres is a strange but unique garden- an artists dream, build by one man's effort, love, ingenuity and skill. Nek Chand who was an ordinary public works department employee of the Chandigarh administration, conceived the idea of the garden as a solution to the disposal of city waste and domestic garbage. There are no flowers or plants in this  garden. 

The garden was created sector by sector with rocks and discarded objects like bottle tops, fluorescent lights, mud guard, tin cans, broken glass etc which Nek Chand meticulously collected from door to door. The creative artist built, dolls and figures of birds, men and women and set them along a maze of paths. He was duly honored and appointed as the director of the garden. The garden is open from 10.00 a.m to 7.00 p.m all days except Thursdays and official holidays.

Sukna Lake an artificial, manmade lake spread over 3 square kilometers on the northern border of Chandigarh is the venue of the Asian rowing championships. The tree-shaded

 shores is a favorite spot for strolling and bird watching. From December through February, one can see many species of aquatic birds from Central Asia and Siberia. Sukhna lake has facility for renting rowing boats and there is also a children's park.

Open Hand monument in the Capital Complex in sector 1,  is made of a  metal sheet, 14 metres high and weighing 50 tonnes and rotate freely in the wind from a high concrete pedestal. Some times it resembles a bird in flight The design of this giant hand emblem  was conceived by Le Corbusier. The symbol stands for peace and unity - 'Open to give - Open to receive'.  It is official emblem of the city.

Sectraiat is the largest building in the Government or Capital Complex. It is an elongated building, with concrete walls intended as a work place for about 4000 people. The centre portion contains the offices of ministers. From the roof top of this building there is a good panoramic view of the city and the hills beyond. It cost around 14million rupees to build. There conducted tours every 30 minutes.

The Legislative Assembly square in plan with a monumental portico standing free from the main building has a removable dome and a mural by Le Corbusier. It faces the high court which delineates the south eastern end of the Capitol Piazza.

The High Court is a classic work of modern architecture. It is one of the first  monuments to be built in the Capital complex. The structure of this building has a double roof, projecting over the office block, like a inverted umbrella shading its lower part, symbolizing the law as an umbrella of shelter for the ordinary citizen

The Chandigarh Horticulture department has done its best in turning whatever land available into beautiful landscapes. They have collected and planted varieties of ornamental plants of various colours and shades. A few places that have been turned into beautiful gardens and valleys are as follows:

The Leisure Valley contains the famous Dr. Zakir Rose garden, Shanty Kunj, Cannas garden; the garden of unusual plants.

The Rose Garden in sector 16 is claimed to be the Asia's largest Rose garden. This garden was  created in 1967, under the expert guidance of Dr M.S. Randhawa, Chandigarh's first Chief Commissioner, and is named after India's President, Zakir Hussain. It is spread over an area of 30 acres and have 1600 different species of roses. Every year a 'Rose Festival' is celebrated at this garden, either at the end of February or beginning of March. It is one of the main cultural events of the city and draws thousands of visitors. There are lots of competitions, cultural celebrations and many other events.
Shanti Kunj (Abode of Peace) situated  in sector 16  has trees, streams and meditation nooks,  spread over 18 acres of land.

Bougainvillea Garden Hundreds of bougainvillea varieties adorn the garden spread over 20 acres in sector 10.  The creepers cover a wide assortment of arches, pavilions and arcades. The annual Bougainvillea Show is held here.

Terraced Garden is spread over 8 acres in sector 33, is the venue for the annual Chrysanthemum Show. There is also an illuminated musical fountain here. 

Topiry Garden  A garden of animals of wire figure, which is a source of amusement for the children.

Mango Gardens : (1) On Purva Marg where best quality Dusehari plants brought from Malihabad have been planted (2) Mango garden near railway station .

Rajendra Park  A natural park where Mangoes, peaches, plums etc have been planted.  Horse shows are held here from time to time.

Museum and Art Gallery The art gallery in Sector 10, contains a modest collection of Indian stone sculptures dating back to the Gandhara period, together with some miniatures paintings and modern art. The adjacent museum has fossils and implements of prehistoric humans found in India. Visiting Hours :10.00 a.m. to 04.30. p.m. all days except Monday and official holidays.

Museum of Evolution of Life (Science Museum)  Inaugurated on 14 August, 1973, this museum depicts the origin of the earth and the evolution of life. The exhibits cover 5,000 years of  Indian History from the Indus Valley Civilization to the present day. There are other galleries of astronomy, geology and the world of ancient man. Visiting Hours :10.00 a.m. to 04.30. p.m. all days except Monday and official holidays.

Child Art Gallery This gallery exhibits works by young artists of Chandigarh. The museum frequently organises art workshops for students and children.Visiting Hours :10.00 a.m. to 04.30. p.m. all days except Monday and official holidays.

National Gallery of Portraits Situated on Sector 17B this gallery contains portraits of Indian freedom fighters, rare documents, sculptures, ceramic murals and recordings of the voices of 125 prominent figures of India's Independence movement. The library here has books on India's freedom struggle. Visiting Hours : 09.00 a.m. to 05.00 p.m. all days except Saturday & Sunday and official holidays.

International Dolls Museum This museum  situated in Bal Bhawan in Sector 23, contains more than 300 dolls from nearly every country in the world.  It was inaugurated on 24th December, 1985. Visiting Hours : 09.00 a.m. to 05.00 p.m. all days except official holidays.

Chandigarh (Punjabi: ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ, Hindi: चण्डीगढ़), is a union territory of India, that serves as thecapital of two states, Punjab and Haryana. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name was coined from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to theHindu Goddess Chandi, present in the city's vicinity. It is occasionally referred to as The City Beautiful. Chandigarh Capital Region (CCR) including Mohali, Panchkula and Zirakpurhad a combined population of 1,165,111 (1.16 million) as per the 2001 census. Earlier the Chandigarh

 Capital region was also called 'Tricity' because of Panchkula and Mohali as adjacent cities but with mushrooming of other towns like Zirakpur, Kharar etc. with considerable population it is better called 'Chandigarh Capital Region'.

As the first planned city of India, Chandigarh is known internationally for its architecture and urban planning.Chandigarh is home to numerous architectural projects of Le Corbusier,Pierre Jeanneret, Matthew Nowicki, and Albert Mayer. The city tops the list of Indian States and Union Territories with the highest per capita income in the country at Rs.99,262 at current prices and Rs.70,361 at constant prices (2006–2007). As per a study conducted by Ministry of Urban Development, Chandigarh has emerged as the cleanest city in India