Located : Union territory of North India
Main Tourist Attractions: Rock Garden, Rose Garden, Sukhna Lake, Morni Hills, International Dolls Museum, Pinjore Yadavindra Gardens.
Best Buys: Textile Goods, Gems and Jewelry, Lather products
Best Time To Visit: Eany Time of the Year
About Chandigarh
Chandigarh, the dream city of India's first Prime Minister, Sh. Jawahar Lal Nehru, was planned by the famous French architect Le Corbusier. Chandigarh derives its name from the temple of
"Chandi Mandir" located in the vicinity of the site selected for the city. The deity 'Chandi', the goddess of power and a fort of 'garh' laying beyond the temple gave the city its name "Chandigarh-The City Beautiful".
The city has a pre-historic past. The gently sloping plains on which modern Chandigarh exists, was in the ancient past, a wide lake ringed by a marsh. The fossil remains found at the site indicate a large variety of aquatic and amphibian life, which was supported by that environment. About 8000 years ago the area was also known to be a home to the Harappans. Le Corbusier conceived the master plan of Chandigarh.
Major Tourist Attraction
Rock Garden
Chandigarh has the distinction of having a unique world-acclaimed Rock Garden. It consists of art objects, fashioned from industrial and urban waste. It is situated between the Capitol Complex and Sukhna Lake in Sector 1. The creator of the Rock Garden, Nek Chand, was a Road Inspector in the Engineering Department of Chandigarh Capital Project.
Rose Garden:
It was established in 1967 1967 under the guidance of Chandigarh's first Chief Commissioner late Dr M S Randhawa. The largest Rose Garden in Asia, it is spread over an area of 27 acres and has more than 17,000 plants representing some 1,600 varieties of roses as well as several fountains. Alongwith the roses emphasis was also given on the trees of medicinal value and some unique specimen trees to enhance the beauty of the garden. The medicinal trees planted here are bel,Suhana Lake bahera, harar, camphor and yellow gulmohar. This garden is the venue of the annual Festival of Gardens, an event listed on the national calendar of fairs and festivals.
Sukhana Lake:
The manmade picturesque Sukhna lake in the foothills of Shivalik range is an idyllic place for quiet communion with nature and for offer water sports activities such as boating, yachting, water skiing, etc.
