Chandigarh, awell planned city of India is located at foothills of Shivalik Range. It is famous for its museums, gardens and architecture. Chandigarh is the joint capital of Haryana and Punjab state and has a total area of 114 sq km. The modern city stands as a symbol of architecture creativity of few selected geniuses who made it possible to develop a well planned city from agriculture fields. Chandigarh city is the hall mark of dedication, team work, innovation and skill displayed by a team led by French architect Le Corbusier.

The city consists of forty seven sectors and each sector is an independent dwelling unit with shopping area, hospitals, schools and other amenities. These sectors are connected by well maintained road. The beauty of the place lies in the even growth of trees on the road side, excellent buildings and parks.

Chandigarh lives up to its name of a modern city by the presence of various artistic monuments and creative people. Various live performances, concerts and cultural events that take place in the city are best examples of cultural prominence of the city. The city has numerous museums, art galleries and theaters. If you are visiting the city for first time, still you need not worry about how to spend your time. The city has all the infrastructure of a modern city and this is what attracts more and more foreign tourists.  You can fulfill all your amusements and excitements when you are in Chandigarh. A visit to Chandigarh would make your trip memorable with the amount of entertainment opportunities and comforts available in the city.

The name Chandigarh has emerged from Goddess Chandi, a Hindu Goddess.  An excursion to Chandigarh can include Rose garden, Rock Garden and Chandi Devi Mandir.

Gardens in Chandigarh

Chandigarh is popular for varieties of gardens which makes this city different from other cities. Rock Garden which stands as a symbol of human imagination and creativity is one of the rarest creation. This garden is completely created using house hold and industrial wastes. Rock garden is situated between two popular tourist spots of the city, the Capitol Complex and Sukhna Lake. This magnificent art work is the creation of a visionary road inspector Mr. Nek Chand who created various forms of structures with the use of industrial waste. The garden also contains an exhibition hall which hosts numerous live performances. The garden which is spread across sixty four acres contains varieties of plants and trees.  The arrangement of trees and plants in the garden is worth watching. Moist plants like Cacti are arranged in one corner of the garden while some evergreen and exotic plants are positioned separately. The glimpse of the beautiful lotus flowers in Rock garden adds to the delight of tourists visiting this place. Some Famous Gardens of Chandigarh are:

• Rock Garden
• Rose Garden
• Botanical Garden
• Terraced Garden
• Smriti Upvan

Museums in Chandigarh

Apart from the gardens Chandigarh is also famous for its Museums. Each museum follows a different theme and fascinates the tourists with its curious collection. The most popular museum among them is the International Doll Museum, which houses numerous varieties of dolls collected from different parts of world. It is located in Bal Bhavan and works under the management of Child welfare council of India. The museum which was started in the year 1985, with an aim to provide delight to children, equally amuses the elderly population. These dolls which are collected from every nook and corner of the world primarily attract children. Museums in Chandigarh are:

• International Doll Museum
• City Museum
• Government Museum and Art Gallery

Lakes in Chandigarh

Sukhna Lake which is manmadeis the only lake available in Chandigarh city. This three km lake which is located in the foothills of Shivalik hills is fast emerging as popular destination for people within the city and tourists visiting the city. It has been constructed by restricting the flow of Sukhna Choe stream. It is a favorite spot for morning walk to enjoy the cool breeze amidst nature at its best for people of Chandigarh.

Facilities for boating, water skiing and yachting have been provided in this beautiful lake. The availability of excellent facilities for water sports makes this lake an ideal place for Asian level Rowing Championships.

Wildlife in Chandigarh

Chandigarh city has been planned to provide pollution less environment. The rich source of flora and fauna and the presence of abundant area under the forest make this city excellent place to live. The city houses two natural forest reserves (Kansal and Nepli) which are the dwelling places for numerous wild animals.

The availability of natural landscape and abundant forest area makes an ideal resting place for the animals.   Tourists can visit these places by obtaining prior permission from forest departments and make use of the facilities and rest houses available in the nearby forest department offices.

Most Famous in Chandigarh

The Capitol

The main architectural symphony of city is the Capitol Complex. The overall credit for construction of this excellent structure goes to Le Corbusier, who was also responsible for making Chandigarh the dream destination of many. Chandigarh’s important administrative wings the High Court, Secretariat and Legislative Assembly are located in Capitol Complex. These buildings are the headquarters for both state governments (Haryana and Punjab).

These three structures represent pillars of democratic system of the country.  The construction of these structures follows a twofold cover, which resembles an overturned umbrella. These magnificent structuresdisplay immaculate talent of the architect which attracts many tourists.

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