Thursday , March 28 2024
Chandigarh: Best Time To Visit, History, How To Reach, Tourism

Chandigarh: Best Time To Visit, History, How To Reach, Tourism

Name: Chandigarh – The City Beautiful
Location: Located in Northern India
Climate: Summers: 400 C (Max), 350 C (Min) | Winters: 150 C (Max), 070 C (Min)
Best Time to Visit: October to March
Nearest Airport: Chandigarh Airport
Railway Station: Chandigarh Railway Station
Must Visits: Rock Garden, Sukhna Lake, Parrot Sanctuary, Rose Garden, and Capitol Complex
Language Spoken: Punjabi, Hindi, English
STD Code: 0172

Chandigarh is a stunning city and a union territory of India. It also serves as the capital of two different Indian states of Punjab and Haryana. Another name of this remarkable city is ‘The City Beautiful’. Chandigarh literally stands for “The Fort of Chandi“, which is related to the ancient temple of Hindu Goddess Chandi hat is sited in the environs of Chandigarh city. It is picturesquely located in the foothills of the Shivalik range of the Himalayas in northwestern region of India. Chandigarh is spread over an area of about 114 square kilometers and is situated on an average elevation of 350 m above the sea level. It shares its border with the states of Haryana in the east and Punjab in the north, west and south. According to a study conducted by Ministry of Urban Development, Chandigarh has come forward as the cleanest city in India.

Similar to the other northern cities of India, the climate of Chandigarh can be classified as humid subtropical climate. This type of climate includes very hot and scorching summers (May to June), mild winters (November to mid March) and pleasant monsoons with average annual rainfall of 1111 mm. Chandigarh is crowned as the first planned city of India and is renowned worldwide for its urbanized planning and exotic architecture. Chandigarh does not have a very old history, but there is an interesting story behind its existence. The whole pre-independence Punjab region was split into two parts after the partition, India and Pakistan, in the year 1947. As Lahore had became the part of Pakistani Punjab during partition, so there was a need of a new capital for Indian Punjab. Therefore, Jawaharlal Nehru (the then P.M of India) decided to lay a beautiful and planned city of Chandigarh.

The city was designed by three proficient architects, Le Corbusier, Albert Mayer (American architect-planner) and Matthew Nowicki (Poland-born architect). Chandigarh was the capital of Punjab alone from 1952 to 1966. Eventually, in 1966, it was also titled as the capital of newly formed state, Haryana. Chandigarh is blessed with amazing flora and fauna, surrounded by dense protected forests housing many wild animals like deers, sambars, barking deers, parrots, woodpeckers and peacocks etc. The main tourist attractions of Chandigarh that you should surely explore on your trip are Rock Garden, Sukhna Lake (which attracts migratory birds from parts of Siberia and Japan in the winter season), Parrot Sanctuary, Rose Garden, The Capitol Complex (The Open Hand), The Secretariat and Pinjore Gardens. Although every time is right to visit this city, October to March is considered the best time to explore this vibrant city.

Best Time To Visit Chandigarh

If you are planning a trip to northern India, then stop-over at Chandigarh to explore the grandeur of India’s most well-planned city. Straggling alleys, tranquil lakes, warm affability and an incredible fusion of Punjabi and Haryanavi cultures make Chandigarh a one-of-its-kind of holiday destination. As you wander aross the streets of the city to explore the unknown and see the unseen, you are likely to stumble on cool cafes, plush supermarkets and glitzy hotels springing out of clean, green avenues that offer a welcoming break from the din and bustle of city life. Dowered with wide boulevards that are decked with lush green trees, a visit to this city helps you get a glimpse of brilliant French architecture. Dotted with so many attractions and idyllic views, the city always remains chock-a-block with visitors and holidaymakers. To explore the city to its fullest, visiting the place at the right time is very essential. Go through the article to below to know the best time to visit Chandigarh.

When To Go To Chandigarh

Weather

Like other North Indian cities, Chandigarh too boasts of extreme weather conditions with extremely hot summers and unbearably cold winters. The summers here begins in March and lasts uptil June, with temperature oscillating between 350 C to 400 C. If you visit the place during the summers, then don’t forget to pack in enough light cotton clothes and sunscreen lotions. The monsoon here, which lasts from June to August, brings in rampant showers, cool breeze and humid weather. With the temperature shuttling between 250 C to 350 C, the rainy season brings in a welcoming relief from the intolerable summer days. Winters, which last from December to February, usually remains cold and foggy.

Best Time To Explore Chandigarh

The best time to visit Chandigarh is during the post-monsoon months of August to November when the climate is fairly moderate. However, if you wish to explore Chandigarh at its scenic best, then hitting the city anytime during September to March will give you enough scope to indulge in its outdoor activities, go for rubbernecking and explore the beauty of the region.

Things To Do

Being a well-planned city, Chandigarh hosts a slew of attractions to woo its visitors. From museums to lush green gardens and from monuments to beautiful serene lakes, the city has everything to suit your taste. Some of the major attractions of the place are Rock Garden, Sukhna Lake, Rose Garden, Botanical Garden and Capital Complex. Just like its mind-blowing attractions, the glitzy nightlife of Chandigarh is equally enthralling. With a slew of pubs, discos and bars around the city, the nightlife in Chandigarh is truly happening. The next essential part of any trip is shopping. With a wide number of shopping markets, malls and boutiques around, shopping in this place is truly some experience.

History Of Chandigarh

The name Chandigarh is the summation of two words – ‘Chandi‘ and ‘Garh‘. The word chandi is derived from the name of a Hindu deity called Chandi after the Chandi Mandir (or shrine) in the region. The second half of the name has been taken from the fort located close to the Chandi temple. After Indian Independence in the year 1947, the city was declared as the capital of Punjab. This occurred when India lost Lahore during the partition period. In the year 1966, further divisions in the state of Punjab made Chandigarh the capital of both Punjab and Haryana. Besides the city’s political past, the city holds great importance to the historians and prehistorians. Remains of aquatic and amphibian life have been unearthed from this place while archaeologists have excavated stone instruments, copper ware and ornaments dating back to Harappan civilization. Chandigarh apparently India’s only well planned urban place. Read the write-up to know more about the history of Chandigarh and various events that shaped the city.

Chandigarh History

Early Developments

After Indian partition in 1947, the search for a new capital for Punjab intensified. There were two main reason behind this — the first being to reconstruct and reorganize the state of Punjab, while the second reason was to provide shelter to the expatriates form Pakistan. Formerly, the cities of Ludhiana, Ambala and Chandigarh were considered for the bait. The proposition was to select a location that was fit to relocate the refugees to a new town. Chandigarh was not only located far from the enemy border but also seemed to be cost effective in terms of reconstruction. After Chandigarh was chosen as the capital city, strong initiatives were taken towards the planning and development of the city.

City Plans

Most of the early planning was undertaken under the able guidance of Shri P.N. Thapar, a member of the Indian civil services in the year 1949. He was assisted by Shri P.L. Varma, the chief Engineer of the state. Even though Independent India was eager to rebuild another city after the loss of Lahore with the help of their team of experts, they were not very successful as they faced many technical glitches initially. The main hitch was lack of experienced architectural skills in the country. During that period, architectural professionals were almost non-existent and such practices were not seen in the sub-continent. So the Government of India was forced to seek the help of the American architects Albert Mayer and Matthew Nowicki. Albert Mayer had previously worked with the Indian Government during the World War II where he was responsible for building airstrips in the state of Bengal. Later on, he went on to construct a few hamlets in the Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh under the management of Jawaharlal Nehru. The project held great importance to Jawaharlal Nehru as it represented the first signs of progressive Independent India. Nehru had mentioned that the construction of Chandigarh was a symbol of country’s conviction in the future. The first site plan comprised of two river beds along with a Super Block that included commercial centre, educational institutions and public health.

Further Developments

By 1950, the project was almost ready to kickoff when Mayer’s co-partner Matthew Nowicki passed away in an unfortunate plane crash and most of the work at Chandigarh came to a standstill. Mayer was unable to progress ahead with the developments in the construction of the city. Later, in the same year, a French architect by the name Le Corbusier was invited to complete the task. Several important skyscrapers where designed and built by him with the help of his team of assistants, Maxwell Fry, his wife Jane Drew and Pierre Jeanneret. Le Corbusier tried to retain most of the original master plan with minor modifications. After that there was no stopping the construction activities in the city.

Political Changes

From 1952 to 1966, the capital of the state Punjab remained as Chandigarh, after which the city became a union territory. Since it was situated in the border of Punjab and Haryana, it was named as the capital of both the states, despite the treaty signed by Rajiv Gandhi in 1985 agreeing that the city would become a part of Punjab, and Haryana would get a few villages in the southern part of Punjab. Many political analysts believed that the transfer of Chandigarh to one particular state is not possible even today, because of its strategic location and its thriving economy.

How To Reach

If you are fed up with the convulsion of your city and its horrifying traffic, then do visit Chandigarh to escape from the hustle and bustle of life. Hailed as the first planned city of India, Chandigarh truly juts out as the contemporary facade of modern day India. As you step into the sprawling streets of the city, the lush greenery, plush malls, elegant buildings and towering skyscrapers gives you the impression of being in a swanky metropolis. Apart from its star attractions like Rose Garden and Rock Garden, the city is equally regarded for its cultural fetes and contemporary lifestyle. From late night parties to natural grandeur and from amusement parks to cultural performances, the city hosts a wide array of attractions to suit your taste. To explore the splendor of the place, there is no better idea then visiting it. Well connected by air, road and rail services, reaching Chandigarh is no big deal. Read the writing below to know more about how to reach Chandigarh.

Traveling To Chandigarh

By Air

Chandigarh airport, located about 12km from the city centre, provides regular flights to Delhi and Amritsar. In fact, most of the flights operating from Chandigarh provides link to national capital of Delhi. Although Chandigarh airport is situated far from the city, the regular taxi services available in the town and at the airport makes sure you reach your destination in time. Some of the major airlines operating from city airport are Air India, Go Air, Jet Airways, JetLite and Kingfisher Airways. The services provided by airlines are noted for their delicious food, comfortability and reasonable price. Although many flights operate back and forth from the city, it is always good to book your tickets in advance to avoid the last minute tensions. To reach the international destination, you have to depend on Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, which provides link to almost all the major cities of the world.

By Rail

Chandigarh railway station, located about 8km from the city, provides regular trains to Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. The Shatabdi Express, which operates twice a day, once in morning and later in the evening, provides comfortable and reasonable journey to Delhi. Apart from this, trains like Himalayan Queen and Jan Shatabdi connect the city to Delhi. You can even get the trains to cities like Mumbai, Lucknow, Chennai, Bangalore and Trivandrum. Although wide numbers of trains are available from Chandigarh, the low fair and high comfort makes the train crowded. Thus it is always recommended to book your tickets in advance.

By Road

Quick and frequent bus services from Chandigarh connect the place to almost all the nearby towns of Kalka, Patiala, Amritsar, Delhi, Shimla, Manali, Dharmsala, Haridwar and many more. The buses to Delhi approximately takes five hours. AC, non AC, deluxe and sleeper coaches are available to suit the needs of people from different walks of life. Apart from buses, you can even opt for taxi services as well. With minimum and well maintained traffic, getting around the city is not at all a problem. Cycle rickshaw, auto rickshaw and taxi services of the city safely take you to your destination. You can even use the local buses to tour around the city, which are available in plenty.

Places To Visit

If you truly want to experience a glimpse of planned India, there is no better place than Chandigarh. Just the way Varanasi represents the tradition and culture of the country, Chandigarh showcases India in a completely new avataar. Moreover, if you are a nature lover, then the city is indeed your ideal destination. As you start exploring the place, the beautifully laid roads, lush green gardens and amazing monuments takes you to a whole new world, which is unparalleled in terms of architecture and design. From Sukhna Lake to Capital Complex and from Rose Garden to Rock Garden, the city is brilliantly designed to meet up to the international standards. With well maintained roads and traffic, Chandigarh takes you away from day to day chaos of urbane life. To know more about the character of the city, there is no better idea then visiting the place. The writing below helps you by providing more information on places to visit in Chandigarh.

Tourist Attractions In Chandigarh

Leisure Valley

Leisure Valley, one of the major attractions in Chandigarh, attracts every tourist visiting the place. Starting from the Rajendra Park in Sector-1, the green environ of the valley spreads till Bougainvillea Garden in Sector-3. With a clump of beautiful gardens in this area, the place serves as the best stop for picnickers. Annual feast of Chandigarh held during the month of February in the premises of Leisure is an added attraction of this place.

Rock Garden

A trip to Chandigarh is incomplete without exploring the beauty of Rock Garden. Located at Sector-1, between Sukhna Kale and Capital Complex, the garden is dotted with some of the exquisite artwork made from industrial and urban waste. Spread over 12 acres of land, this unique garden truly mesmerizes you by its creativity and innovation. Serving as an open-air exhibition hall, the place is an open book for pioneering ideas.

The Open Hand

The Open Hand, one of the philosophical and spectacular monuments in Chandigarh, beautifully displays the idea of Le Corbusier. Located in Capital Complex, the monument is designed in the form of giant hand, which is 14 meters high. Indicating the direction of wind, the metal hand rotates like a weathercock suggesting the significance of open hand, which conveys the message of peace and unity. What’s more, it also serves as an official emblem of the city.

Rose Garden

Rose Garden in Chandigarh is spread over 30 acres of land with nearly 1600 species of roses to the garden’s credit. Planted in the beautifully laid grounds, the garden delights you with more than 17000 plants. The garden is not only limited to roses but also serves as the home to many medicinal plants like camphor, bahera, harar and bel. The annual celebration in garden area is a major cultural event of the city, which attracts huge crowd.

Sukhna Lake

Sukhna Lake situated in the foothills of Shivalik range is a beautiful man-made lake. Spread over 3km, the lake was established in the year 1958. The lake was created by damming the Sukhna Choe, a seasonal stream flowing down the Shivalik hills. Today, every tourist of the city visits this lake and spends beautiful time in the midst of admirable serene and cool breeze.

Botanical Garden

With a variety of plants and its lovely surroundings, Botanical Gardens of Chandigarh serves as the attractive picnic spot of the place. Actually the city houses two botanical gardens, one at Punjab University campus and the other is positioned in between Sukhna Lake and Rock Garden. With the huge variety of plants and trees, both the botanical gardens of Chandigarh attracts huge crowd.

International Dolls Museum

International Dolls Museum in Chandigarh is famous for its wide collection of dolls from countries like Russia, Korea, Germany, Denmark, Spain and Netherlands. Situated at Bal Bhavan, the museum acts as a wonderland for children. The section dedicated to India display dolls from different region. Apart from the dolls, another attraction of the place is the toy train. You can pay a visit to the museum on all days except on Sundays and national holidays.

Shopping

Chandigarh is the best place to halt over and soak up the cosmopolitan ambience steeped in rich tradition. The clean and wide road soothes your eyes, as you walk down the lane admiring the gardens and green trees generously spread all over. Besides touring the major tourist attractions, shopping in Chandigarh is equally fun-filling and a pleasurable experience. The major shopping markets of the city, located at Sector 17, 22 and 35, offers a mind-boggling shopping experience, even to the most discerning shopper. Both the young and old throng these bazaars to buy vibrant stuffs like colorful Punjabi dupattas, jootis, local woolen items, phulkaris, stoles, etc. There are many handicraft emporiums scattered within the city that allows tourists to buy authentic handicrafts and artifacts. If you just want to leisurely browse and roam around, then the plush shopping malls filled with mostly elite crowd is definitely your bet. So, if you are visiting the city for the first time and don’t know what to buy, then trail down the following write-up to know the best shopping places in Chandigarh.

Things To Buy In Chandigarh

Phulkari

Phulkari, a type of craft that involves simple embroidery works with great finishing touch is very popular in Chandigarh. Many showrooms and emporiums lined up in this city sells a wide range of phulkari products ranging from cushion covers, handkerchiefs, textiles, shawls, dupattas, carpets, furniture, etc. The best place to buy traditional phulkari items is from Phulkari Punjab Government Emporium that is nestled in Sector 17.

Punjabi Dupattas

Punjabi dupatta, a kind of long scarf that every girl of Chandigarh proudly wears and flaunts in style is the cynosure for all women tourists. Every shop in Chandigarh is filled with heaps of colorful duppatas that can be purchased by shelling out a reasonable amount of money. A particular shop called Sparsh Collections is the best place to step in to take a look at the stoles, duppatas and Punjabi designer suits.

Juttis

Jutti, the traditional footwear of Punjab is another wonderful souvenir that can be bought from this beautiful city. These kinds of footwear are not just comfortable and elegant but also make a person look fashionable. Various types and kinds of juttis are available in the shopping markets. Some of the popular ones are style jutti, King wedding jutti, punch zari khausa jutti, embroidery jutti and lots more. R.S. Apparels situated in Manimajra and Pal Footwear situated near Janta Market are the good places to buy footwear from Chandigarh.

Jams And Juices

Besides apparels and footwear, another popular buy in Chandigarh are the jams and juices bought from Himachal Pradesh. Also, if you are a honey lover, a visit to the lovely place called Honey Hut is highly recommended. This beautiful shop offers a wide range of honey-based products ranging from honey neem soap, honey tulsi, honey face wash to just raw honey.

Woolen Garments

Chandigarh is famous for woolen apparels like pullovers, sweaters and caps. Some of the popular stores you can visit to purchase woolen clothes are Ludhiana Garments, Smart, Jainsons Outfits, Bansal Plaza, Black Berrys and Black Apparels India Limited. Most of these above places are located in Sector 17 that is popularly known as the City Center. To shop for apparels and related stuffs, hit the Madhya Marg in Sector-9 that has an array of shops.

Handlooms And Artifacts

To shop for handloom products and artifacts, emporiums are the best bet. Gujarat Handlooms & Handicrafts Emporium situated in Dakshin Marg, Sector 20 D is the best place to stop over and check out the wide range of handicrafts collection. The wooden carved boxes, statues of Lord Ganesha, sofa covers with Phulkari works are the top picks here.

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