State :
Chandigarh boast of being the capital city of two states (Punjab &
Haryana), but its land area comes within Punjab.
Climate :
Chandigarh is hot in summer. Day temperatures go up to 44° C in May
and June. Between July and September, the monsoons bring some relief.
Winters, however, are pleasant with night temperatures falling to 2° C
in January.
Significance :
An Industrial City and also one of the most cleanest and well planned
cities of India.
Chandigarh - The Twin Capital :
Chandigarh is one of the most planned cities of India. It is the twin
capital of northern Indian states of Punjab and Haryana. But very
interestingly, it belongs to neither state as it is an union territory under
the direct administration of the central government. One of India's youngest
cities, Chandigarh derives its name from Goddess Chandi Devi whose temple is
located 15 kms away from Chandigarh.
History :
The well known architect and planner Le Corbusier had laid the design of
Chandigarh. He was entrusted with the responsibility after 1950. Each sector
of the city was laid out in such a way that every sector has its own shops,
schools, hospitals, places of worship, open spaces, parks and residential
areas.
Connectivity :
» By Air : Chandigarh is connected to Delhi, Mumbai
and many other destinations of India by regular flights.
» By Rail : There are trains to Chandigarh from
different locations of the country. Regular trains are also available from
Delhi.
» By Road : Chandigarh is well connected by road to
most of northern India. The distance from national capital Delhi is 260 kms.
Highlights of the city :
» Nek Chand’s Rock Garden - The Rock Garden may
be regarded as Chandigarh’s best attraction. The garden was built by
Nek Chand Saini in the year 1958. Interestingly, instead of using costly
materials, discarded objects of everyday use like bottles, tin cans, broken
plugs, plates, saucers and rocks have been used in this 40-acre garden.
Other highlights include armies of stone ducks, pig iron dancers and
goblins.
» Sukhna lake - The beautiful Sukhna lake is an
artificial reservoir. The Sukhna lake was created in 1958 by diverting the
Sukhna Choe, a seasonal stream that flows down the Shivalik mountain ranges.
The lake has Asia’s longest water channel for rowing and yachting.
» Capital Complex - All the buildings of the capital
complex including the state assembly, secretariat and High Court are modern
architectural delights. They have been designed by architect Le Corbusier in
such a way that they are symbolic expression of the strength and unity of
independent India.
» International Dolls Museum - Situated in Bal
Bhawan complex, the international dolls museum has a very impressive
collection of more than 300 dolls from nearly every country in the world.
Apart from the dolls, there are ten ceramic murals and a large model train.
» Museum of Evolution of Life - A visit to Museum of
Evolution of Life is sure to enthrall every visitor. The Museum takes
tourists some 5,000 years back to the Indus Valley Civilization. It has an
impressive collection of objects belonging to that period. In fact, this
exciting museum has collections of every period starting from the Indus
valley civilization.
