The union territory of Chandigarh was constituted on Nov. 1, 1966. It includes the city of Chandigarh, four towns, and a number of adjoining villages, which together cover 44 square miles (114 square kilometers). The territory is administered by a chief commissioner, who is appointed by the president of India's union (central) government. The city of Chandigarh is the capital of the territory, as well as the joint capital of the states of Haryana and Punjab
Chandigarh city is the first `planned' city of India and covers an area of 56 sq. km. Designed by the French architect, Le Corbusier and his team of architects, the city has neatly laid out roads and parks, buildings, boulevards and streets lined by endless rows of trees and shrubs. The city is named after the Goddess Chandi Devi, whose white - domed temple stands on the slope of a hill in the north east of Chandigarh, on the edge of the Shivalik hills. The city is well divided into 47 sectors. Each sector consists of market places and shopping centers. All the sectors are interconnected by State Transport buses, auto-rickshaws and taxis. This city has its population drawn from every community and region in India, and ranks second in literacy among the country's states and union territories.
Chandigarh - Facts
Below is a table representing important facts about Chandigarh
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History of Chandigarh
Initially Chandigarh was a part of Punjab and Lahore served as the capital city of undivided territory of Punjab. But, after partition, when Lahore became a part of Pakistan, India was left without any capital. Partition led to an influx of people from west Punjab to the eastern parts within India. The regions occupied were like huge farms and absolutely rural. A committee was set up to choose a suitable site, keeping in mind factors like military vulnerability, drinking water, climatic conditions etc. Finally, a site was decided upon. Chandigarh got its name from Chandi, the Goddess of power and Garh meaning fortress. After the site was finalized, a master plan for the city was prepared by an American team (Mayor, Whittleslay, Glass & Nowicki). Due to the sudden demise of Nowicki the project received a setback again.
It was in the year 1951, that the well-known French architect, Le Corbusier, took charge of giving the city a new look. This is how Chandigarh turned into a well-planned capital city of Punjab, India.
Society and Culture
Chandigarh can be said to be a multicultural land due to the influence of several groups of people. The city is cosmopolitan with various diverse groups who intermingle with each other. The blending of numerous cultural aspects is specially reflected in the architectural style of the shrines of this city. Apart from the typical north Indian style, you can also find places of worship in the styles of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Orissa and Bengal.
The state is also known for its traditional folk music and dance. As far as the language is concerned, Hindi and Punjabi are the two main languages that are spoken in this region. Chandigarh is also a land of fairs and festivals. The people of this state celebrate all the festivals with proper rituals and traditions. The main festivals observed by the people in Chandigarh are Gurpurab, Holla Mohalla, Baisakhi, Lohri, Karva Chauth, Tika, Raksha Bandhan, Dusshera and Diwali. All of them are celebrated with equal zeal and enthusiasm.
Economy and Infrastructure
Since Chandigarh is the base of three different governments it is but obvious that the government will be the major employer of the region. A considerable portion of the population of the state consists of people who are either working with the government or have retired from government service. Chandigarh is home to about 15 medium to large industrial including two Public sector enterprises. To add to this Chandigarh has over 2500 units registered under the small scale sector. Chandigarh is also not far behind as far as the IT industry is concerned. According to a recent Global Services Survey conducted by Cyber Media, Chandigarh is ranked 9th in the top 50 cities identified globally as 'emerging outsourcing and IT services destinations
As far as industries are concerned paper manufacturing, basic metals, sanitary ware, auto parts, machine tools, pharmaceuticals and electrical appliances alloys and machinery are the important industries in Chandigarh. Other industries are relating to food products
The state has one of the most developed infrastructures in the country. It shares great air, road and rail connectivity with Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh
Tourism of Chandigarh
Chandigarh is not only the best planned city in India but it also ranks in terms of Human Development Index. The region is home to some of the most sought after tourist centers in the country. Important tourist centers in Chandigarh are; Rock Garden, Zakir Rose Garden, fragrance Garden, Shanti Gunj, Shukna Lake, Museum and Art Gallery, City Museum, Children Art Gallery, Terraced Garden, national gallery of Portraits, Bougainvilla Garden, Punjab University Campus, Internatinal Dolls Museum, City centre, Topiary Park, Log Hut (Khuda Alisher) and Leisure Valley.
Hotels in Chandigarh
Since North India is among the most frequented tourists destinations in India it is but obvious that Chandigarh will be crowded all through the year. Most of the hotels in Chandigarh are strategically located and share proximity to the various important tourist's spots in and around the state.
Last Updated on 11 December 2012
