Chandigarh

INDIA

PERSONAGES WHAT TO EAT MUST-SEE PICTURES

PERSONAGES

Milkha Singh

Milkha Singh, also known as Flying Sikh, was an Indian athletics sprinter. Chandigarh's resident Milkha Singh has brought many laurels in the field of athletics in India. An orphan from the beginning, and during the partition of India, Singh became a sporting icon in India. Milkha Singh has won many awards such as the Asian 200m Games (1958), the Commonwealth Games of 440 yards (1958), the Asian 400m Games (1958), and many more. In 1959 he received the fourth highest civilian award from Padma Shri India.He remained an icon and a figure of motivation for the local athletes.

Nek Chand Saini

Nek Chand Saini was a self-taught Indian artist who is most known for creating the Chandigarh Rock Garden, an eighteen-acre sculpture park.Nek Chand began collecting objects from demolition sites across the city in his spare time. Although Chand's activity was unlawful, he was able to conceal it for eighteen years before authorities uncovered it in 1975.He built up the mass with a sand and cement mix prior to adding a final coating of smoothly burnished pure cement combined with waste products like bangles, broken glass, crockery, mosaic and iron-foundry slag.

The beautiful city

Fondly known as "The Beautiful City", this modern and exaggerated city is justifiably up to the day. A model for city planners around the world, it is the face of modern India. Chandigarh is a rare example of modernization that goes effortlessly with the coexistence of nature's preservation. Trees and plants are as much a part of building plans as buildings and streets. Chandigarh derives its name from an ancient temple called "Chandi Mandir" that is located nearby, - the deity "Chandi", the goddess of power and a fortress or "Garh", found behind the temple.

WHAT TO EAT

Chole bhature

This delicacy has Punjabi origins, a combination of spicy white chickpeas and a fried bread made up of all-purpose flour, wheat flour, and a melange of spices. The protein-rich and spicy Punjabi chole including puffed Bhaturas have an ideal blend of flavors and textures that are a match made in heaven. It is widely preferred as a breakfast dish, sometimes served with lassi, and should be accompanied with onions, pickled carrots, green chutney, or achaar.

Murgh Makhani

‘Murgh Makhani’ is marinated chicken in a mixture of yogurt, red chili, salt, lemon juice and ginger-garlic paste and then cooked in tandoor, well mixed with curry is made of butter, cream and spicy tomato sauce. It is served hot with traditional roti and onion which is found in the entire Chandigarh especially at Pal Dhaba and Tehal Singh Dhaba.

Pinni

Pinni is a Punjabi dish that is typically served during the winter months and is widely savored in northern part of India.Pinni is also a generic term for pastries or sweets that are shaped like a circle. It's cooked with desi ghee, wheat flour, jaggery, khoya (thickened milk) and almonds and served as a treat. Raisins can be utilised as well.

MUST-SEE

Lago Sukhna

The beautiful artificial lake that carves its way in the lap of nature and the towering silhouettes of Shivalik Hills truly does justice to its name which means ‘wish fulfilled’- a wish fulfilled for the residents of the City Beautiful. The serenity of these tranquil waters was a gift from Corbusier to the people. Landscaped lush green gardens, dominated by walkways line the outer curved periphery of the lake. As the waves glitter with the first glow of the sun, this location becomes a paradise for nature lovers, photographers and painters, fitness pros, families, and even professional rowers.A heaven for the twitchers, the waters in the winters are often flocked by exotic migratory birds. The forest and wildlife on the other side of the lake are captivating for nature enthusiasts which house a nature trail that runs to the far side.

Rock Garden

The crown jewel of Chandigarh, designed by Nek Chand using the urban and industrial waste dumped in 20 acres of forest land. This surreal world of rocks is based on a lost kingdom, derived from the anguish of the partition of 1947. At the entrance one is greeted by a majestic wall of the fort built out of boulders, broken chinaware, bangles, coal, and clay. Beyond the wall, the visitors are guided by meandering paths into the first section of the kingdom. Heading into the second section, the main court of the kingdom opens up where the king’s throne adorns the place along with the queen’s swimming pool. The part of the journey is the grand palace of the kingdom comprising minarets, laughing mirrors, waterfalls, and other areas of royal pleasure. The visitors are enchanted by the aura of the place, only to visit the fantasy world again.

Underpass

Located at the junction of the city center of sector 17 and the rose garden of sector 16, it is a new public arena where you hear the skates rolling, music pumping, and amateurs trying their hand at various recreational activities. The underpass is a transitional space from the concrete hardscape of the city plaza to the gardened landscape of the rose garden passing under the Jan Marg. It is a part of the larger rejuvenation project of sector 17 in the master plan of 2031. The place is a haven for artists of various fields, a location that allows performers to express themselves in front of the masses without any fear and hesitation. Popular amongst the youth, this pedestrian walkway has permanent art exhibitions and music booths with karaoke facilities. This passage is also called the heritage gateway owing to its proximity to the museums in sector 10.