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Area
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114 sq. km.
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Population
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900,914
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Literacy
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81.76%
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Languages
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Pujabi, Hindi, English
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Airports
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Chandigarh
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Weather
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Best time to visit is November to March. Summer is hot and dry. Cool pleasant winters.
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Tourism
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Rose Garden, Rock Garden, Shanti Kunj, National Gallery of Portraits, Art Gallery, Museum, Lake,
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Industry
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Textiles general and Electrical Engineering, Oil refining, Petrochemicals, Machine tools, Dyes, Soda ash, Cement, Salt, Sulphuric acid, Paper and fertilizers.
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Roads
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67,065 Km.
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Airport
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Ahmedabad, Baroda, Bhavnagar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Kandla, Keshod, Porbandar, Rajkot.
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Tourism
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The shaking Minarets of Ahmedabad has towers, one of which when shaken, Shakes the others. National Parks include Gir forest, the last refuge of the Asiatic lion and Nal Sarover, the bird sanctuary. Swarak and Somnath are known for the temples.
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Festivals
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Navaratri (September/October), Dussera (September/October) Dewali (November).
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Chandigarh, the beautiful capital of Punjab and Haryana is situated in a picturesque setting at the foot of the Shivalik Hills, the outermost edge of the Himalaya. It is a modern city built in 1950, divided into 47 numbered sectors, separated by broad avenues. It is also a union territory. Chandigarh was a child of India’s independence. After the partition of India in 1947, the state of Punjab was split and its capital, Lahore, became a part of Pakistan. A new centre of governance was needed for the state of Punjab. The present site of Chandigarh was chosen for its scenic location at the base of the Shivalik Hills, its fertile soil, and its prodigious water supply. A planned city, Chandigarh emerged in 1952 from the modernist craze of creating huge, geometrically quirky human environment considered symbolic of the future order of humanity. The construction of Chandigarh began in 1950, according to the plan by the French architect, LeCorbusier.
Chandigarh is a well-planned modern city. Although the city’s population is growing, it is far from the chaos and troubles of a big city. The people are nice and well behaved. Every sector is self-sufficient in itself. The city transport system is also well maintained. This is one of the reasons that Chandigarh has become an ideal city of India.
Besides all the traditional religious observances and national holidays, there are several festivals which are only celebrated by a Chandigarhian.
Festivals of Chandigarh
The Festival of Gardens
It is a three-day celebration which is organized in the last week of February. Several varieties of roses are on display at the Rose Garden. The festival also includes performance of music and dance, events for children, exhibitions by local artists, photographers and craftsman and a wide range of amusements.
The Mango Festival
This festival is held in the month of June. Mango growers from all over India gather here and complete in various segments. It provides a great business opportunity for them. Many agriculture universities also display the latest hybrid varieties developed by them.
The chrysanthemums show
In the month of December, Chrysan-themums show is held at Terraces Flower Garden. Hundreds of varieties of the flower are on display and city gardeners vie for coveted honours in the competitions.
The Chandigarh Carnival
This carnival is celebrated in the second week of November every year for three days. The carnival is a time for children and elders alike to show off their talent.
Chandigarh is also well known for its architecture, some of the important palaces of interest are:
Government Buildings
The secretariat and the Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) buildings are in sector 1. Between 10 am and noon one can go to the top of the Secretariat, and can have an excellent view of the city.
Museum and Art Gallery
The art gallery in sector 10 is open daily except Monday and contains a modest collection of Indian stone sculptures dating back to the Gandhara Period, together with some miniature painting and modern art. The adjacent museum has fossils and implements of prehistoric humans founds in India. Opening hours are 10 am to 5 pm Wednesday to Sunday.
Gardens
Rose Garden
The Rose Garden in Sector 16 is claimed to be the biggest in Asia and contains more than a thousand varieties of roses.
Rock Garden
This famous garden is open from 9 am to 1 pm and 3 to 7 pm from April 1 to September 30. Close by is the artificial Sukhna Lake, where you can rent rowing boats or just stroll round its 2 km perimeter.
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