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Chandigarh GUIDE
 
 
Chandigarh, the union territory of India, was born out of the partition of the country. Chandigarh was created to serve the capital city of Punjab. Chandigarh thrives as a palpable city of half a million people proud of themselves and their duty. Chandigarh was born in 1950. Chandigarh is cleanest and the healthiest city in India. Chandigarh is famous now as a very modern town along with 50 sectors.

 
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CHANDIGARH INFORMATION

  
Chandigarh nestles in picturesque setting in the foothills of Shivalik hills & enjoys the popular representation of modern architecture & town planning. The city is a creation of French architect, Le Corbusier - whose architectural rendering are appreciated all over the world. Chandigarh is one of the largest urban complexes of the post-war era, & is a successful experiment in 20th century urbanism. It is one of the great planned cities of India after Fatehpur Sikri & Jaipur which, in the context of their own times, represents highest achievement in Indian architecture. Chandigarh owns its name to an ancient temple of Chandi, the goddess of power. The city emerged as a result of the search for a capital of the post-partition province of Punjab that began immediately after independance. In 1950, the city was conceived thanks to the vision of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru , the first Prime Minister of independent India & to the genius of the French architect, Le Corbusier. The words of Pandit Nehru ring so true when talking about the city : "Let this be a new town symbolic of the freedom of India ,unfettered by the traditions of the past... an expression of the nation's faith in the future."
 
   

CHANDIGARH FACTS AND FIGURES

  

Chandigarh at a Glance ...

 
 

Area:    

69,63 sq km
 

District:

1
 

Languages: 

Punjabi, Hindi, English
 
Religion:
Hindu, Sikh
 
Per capita income:
7,150
 
Main income:
Tourism, Agriculture, Industry
 
Male & Female:
1000:895
 
Location:
North India
 
Built:
1953
 
Population:
 7,900 Persons Per sq km
 
Number of sectors:
57
 
Best Time To Visit:
All Year Through
 
   

CHANDIGARH HISTORY

  
Chandigarh is synonymous to a certain kind of architecture, along with planned landscaping which is, not found in other cities of India, and not amenable to being strait jacketed. Here's the story of 'The City Beautiful' for you. The Government of Punjab, initially approached American town planner Albert Mayer who along with architect Mathew Nowicki became the key planners for the new city. The master plan conceived by them had a fan-shaped outline filling the site between the two seasonal river-beds. Against the beautiful background of the Shivalik Hills was located the capital complex, at the northern edge of the city. The City Centre was sited in the middle, and two linear parklands ran from the northeast to the southwest. The Mayer wanted to create a self-sufficient city, restricted in size and surrounded by green belts. Areas for business, industry and cultural activities were clearly demarcated. In August 1950, his co-planner Nowicki died in a plane crash and Mayer withdrew from the project. This vision of Chandigarh, contained in the innumerable conceptual maps on the drawing board together with notes and sketches had to be translated into brick and mortar. Eminent architect and urban theorist, Le Corbusier, was then selected to carry forward this task. He chose to retain many of the seminal ideas of Mayer and Nowicki, like the basic framework of the master plan and its components; the Capital, City Centre, besides the University, Industrial area, and linear parkland. Even the neighbourhood unit was retained as conceived by the previous architects. However, the curving outline of Mayer and Nowicki were redeisgned into a mesh of rectangles, and the buildings were characterised by an 'honesty of materials'. Exposed brick and boulder stone masonry in its rough form produced unfinished concrete surfaces, in geometrical structures. This became the architecture form characteristic of Chandigarh, set amidst landscaped gardens and parks.
 
   

CHANDIGARH TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

  
Rock Garden Rose Garden Sukhna Lake Capital Complex
Sector 17 Chhatbir Zoo  Yadvindra Garden
 
   

CHANDIGARH FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

  
The gay ones in small groups sing boil's and perform folk-dances to the strain of the vanjli and algoza. The sturdy ones test their strength in wrestling fields. It is a feast of color and gaiety and fully reflects the joy of the community. The fairs of the Punjab are linked with its culture and reflect by and large the various phases of its life. Punjab's most important festivals are Maghi, Lohri, Karva Chauth, Dusshera, Diwali, Saraswati Puja, Holi.
 
   

  HOW TO REACH

  
By Air: Chandigarh is connected to Delhi (daily) and Amritsar (bi-weekly) by flights of Indian Airlines. There is also a weekly flight to Leh from Chandigarh. Jet Airways has daily flights to Chandigarh from Delhi.

By Rail: The railway station is 7 km away from the city center. It is well connected to the major cities of India like Delhi (238 km), Bikaner (575 km), and Jodhpur (827 km).

By Road: Chandigarh is well connected by road to almost every small and big town in northern India. Frequent buses ply from Chandigarh to Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and even Rajasthan.
 
   

CHANDIGARH WILDLIFE AND BIRDS

 
Zoological Park Chhatbir : Located at a distance of 20 km from Chandigarh and 55 km from Patiala is the Zoological Park, Chhatbir. The park area is spread over 202 Acres of raw scrubland over River Ghaggar. It houses 52 species of animals including the royal tiger of Bengal and the Himalayan black bear and 62 species of birds in a simulated natural habitat. Popular for its Lion Safari, it is the biggest park of its kind in India. Other interesting places to visit are Deer Park at Neelon on Ludhiana- Chandigarh road and the Tiger Safari near Ludhiana is also a great experience.
 
   

CHANDIGARH SHOPPING

  
Sector 17 : The main shopping and commercial centre of Chandigarh is Sector-17. This vast commercial complex is partly pedestrianised. It provides something for everyone, from hectic business activity to unhurried window shopping and even crowd gazing in the vicinity of the fountain. Big showrooms and departmental stores cater to the needs of shoppers. Government Emporia, innumerable shops, eateries, coffee houses, bars & pubs keep the visitor completely occupied.

Other places for shopping : Additionally, every sector in Chandigarh has its own shopping facility. Prominent among these are the shopping facilities provided in Sectors 7,9,15,18,19,22,34,35 & 37.