Day 6 Wed Oct 15
CHANDIGARH
I was up early with a plan to see everything before my 15:30 flight, so I left the hotel at 7:45 to see the rose garden and walk all the way to the Capital Complex. I left my luggage at the hotel. It was a 45 minute walk from the hotel to the rock garden so I saw the rose garden and the one building killing time before the rock garden opened at 9 am.
Zakir Rose Garden. In a huge urban park mostly grass but some trees, there are hundreds of rose gardens, some in bloom.
New UT Secretariat Building, Sector 9D. This was the first of about 8 large government buildings all with similar architecture – 6 stories. many balconies, reinforced concrete using round columns on the facade, and brick detail. This building is the first of the eight and has the most glass. The cement has also been painted and is a pristing white. In several of the ones not painted, the concrete has become stained. Architectural Delights
THE ARCHITECTURAL WORK OF LE CORBUSIER WHS, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement
Chandigarh Capitol Complex is a government compound designed by the architect Le Corbusier spread over 100 ha. It comprises three buildings: the Palace of Assembly or Legislative Assembly, Secretariat Building and the High Court plus four monuments (Open Hand Monument, Geometric Hill, Tower of Shadows and the Martyrs Monument) and a lake.
“Tower of Shadows” is designed so that not a single ray of sun enters it from any angle. The north side of this tower remains open because the sun never shines from this direction. Le Corbusier used the same principle for other Capitol Complex buildings as well.
The Capitol Complex was conceived in 1947 as a new capital for the state of Punjab. Le Corbusier joined in 1951. Le Corbusier reworked the radial plan into a strict grid – the Capitol Complex at the “head,” a commercial sector at the “heart,” and civic and educational sectors along the “arms” and “legs”. The Capitol Complex comprised three interlocking squares containing three principal edifices (Assembly, Secretariat, High Court) All three buildings are cast in rough-cast concrete with concrete sun-shading screens and striking cantilevers. Passive climate control. Landscaping and water features (including terraced gardens on building roofs) were conceived to moderate the harsh summer climate.
The Legislative Assembly building’s roof is a dramatic, thin hyperbolic paraboloid shell that spans the assembly hall without internal columns. Walls and facades often serve as architectural ornament: vibrant primary colours are used in doors and panels (inspired by Le Corbusier’s paintings), and patterned tapestries in the High Court chamber were created to provide acoustical treatment and symbolic imagery.
I was only able to see this from a distance.
This is the largest structure in the Complex. It is a long horizontal slab of exposed concrete, about 254 m long and 42 m tall, composed of six eight-story blocks joined by expansion joints. It houses the administrative offices of both Punjab and Haryana.
Palace of Assembly is raised on pilotis (concrete columns), has a free facade, an open interior plan, ribbon windows, and a roof terrace. A monumental, upward-thrusting conical roof shelters the circular assembly chamber. I was only able to see this from a distance.
Punjab and Haryana High Court. Located across the esplanade from the Secretariat, the Court building features a grand ceremonial entrance and generous public spaces. Its most striking feature is a deep parasol roof: a wide cantilevered slab that shelters the ground-floor plaza in front of the judges’ entrance,
I had a great early lunch of pokaras sauce and two lassies at one of the restaurants outside the court. It was delicious.
Open Hand Monument. Facing the Assemblies, the Open Hand is a 26 m (85 ft)-high metal sculpture conceived by Le Corbusier himself. It features a rotating wind vane in the shape of an open palm. According to Le Corbusier’s philosophy, the hand is “open to give” and “open to receive,” symbolizing peace and reconciliation. The city’s official emblem, it stands for democratic ‘give and take’ and India’s progressive ideals
Rock Garden of Chandigarh is a sculpture garden also known as Nek Chand Saini’s Rock Garden of Nathupurafter its founder Nek Chand Saini, a government official who started building the garden secretly in his spare time in 1957. It has spread over an area of 40 acres (16 ha), and is completely built from industrial, home waste, and discarded items.
It consists of man-made interlinked waterfalls and many other sculptures that have been made of scrap and other kinds of waste (bottles, glasses, bangles, tiles, ceramic pots, sinks, electrical waste, broken pipes, etc.) which are placed in walled paths.
The garden is most famous for its sculptures made from recycled ceramic
In his spare time, Nek Chand started collecting materials from demolition sites around the city. He recycled these materials into his own vision of the divine kingdom of Sukrani, choosing a gorge in a forest near Sukhna Lake for his work. The gorge had been designated as a land conservancy, a forest buffer established in 1902 that nothing could be built on. Chand’s work was illegal, but he was able to hide it for 18 years before it was discovered by the authorities in 1976. By this time, it had grown into a 12-acre (4.9 ha) complex of interlinked courtyards, each filled with hundreds of pottery-covered concrete sculptures of dancers, musicians, and animals. The garden is visited by 3,000-4,000 people daily.
Today, the Rock Garden spans 40 acres and features over 5,000 sculptures crafted from recycled materials like broken ceramics, glass bangles, neon tubes, and industrial debris.
Since its official recognition, the Rock Garden has undergone significant transformations. It was opened to the public and expanded with new sections, including open-air theaters, pavilions, and artificial waterfalls. The Rock Garden is acclaimed for its pioneering role in the environmental art and recycling movement. It demonstrates how art can transform urban spaces and engage communities. Saini’s vision and creativity have created a space that not only offers aesthetic pleasure but also promotes sustainability and resource reuse.
Doll’s Musuem. There is also a Dolls Museum inside the Rock Garden. The museum comprises 200 rag dolls made from waste cloth. The dolls were made by Nek Chand in the 1970s.
The garden is in three NM categories: Urban Legend, Open-Air Museums and Bizzarium.
Wow, don’t miss this – easily this will be the highlight of my trip to India. The best Bizzarium site of all in NM. Follow a one-way labyrinth of passages including many very low doors. Most of the discarded objects are ceramics, pots, and electrical sockets. Pass a great waterfall, pools, see his tools and workshop, a good aquarium and the doll museum which are located around a large square. There are many mosaics using ceramics. There is a huge variety of rock used from river rock to small basalt. Make sure to not exit and go to the doll museum side of the garden, a large area. All the figures have unique faces. 30R
I took tuk tuks to see the botanical garden and art gallery.
Chandigarh Botanical Garden. A typical Indian garden with mostly grass, some big trees, manicured shrubs, hedges and well-done flower beds. 20R
Government Museum and Art Gallery. Some great pottery by Sudar Singh (Japanese style), metal sculpture, many buddhas with a great explanation of all the way his appearance has been changed and added to (images of him first appeared 450 years after he died), miniature paintings. 30R
International Dolls Museum. An amazing collection including wedding dolls, dioramas, and international dolls from over 40 countries with an emphasis on India. Not so interesting for me. 30R
I returned to the hotel, picked up my luggage and saw two more NM sites.
Le Corbusier Centre, The architects office and one of the earliest buildings in Chandigarh, it was the workplace of Le Corbusier and his team. The modest structure of the building may well be considered as a seminal attempt at introducing concepts of sustainability and green architecture. Exhibits include mostly photographs. Wikipedia said there were exhibits on Insight of Urban Planning, models, sketches, Modern sculptures and installations, and furniture, but there was little of this. It was not worth the drive here. 20R.
I took an Uber to the mall.
Elante Mall. A lovely modern mall.
I then took an Uber to the airport.
Flight. Chandigarh – Delhi @15:30-16:35 Air India. Delhi – Lucknow @18:50-20:00. Indigo.
The Air India flight was late, I had to change terminals (the two are a long ways apart and require a shuttle), and Kiwi doesn’t give the airline booking codes (PNR) so that I couldn’t use the kiosks to get my boarding pass. The Indigo check in counter was very slow and I missed the second flight. i booked one for the next morning at 7:30 but couldn’t get my boarding pass till midnight. I sat in the ticket centre and finally laid out my sleeping stuff in the ticket office (along with several others) for a great sleep.
Day 7 Thur Oct 16.
Flight. Delhi to Lucknow @07:30-08:20. Indigo
I was up at 5 but didn’t realize my new flight was from terminal 3 (go figure the same flight, Delhi to Lucknow on the same carrier, Indigo, but different teminals)!. It’s a 15 minute drive (add in the wait for the shuttle to leave) and then deal with crazy Indian security. It would have been 10 minutes in line to get into the airport but I bypassed the line (they check your ticket very carefully), get my boarding pass (much easier as this ticket had a PNR, the Kiwi tickets don’t list PNRs necessitating standing in the check line which is why I missed my flight last night), and then dealing with goofy Indian security. Every time I go through security, something comes up – charging cables, electrical plugs, a cigarette lighter plug to charge USBs) and this time it was my umbrellla!!!!!!! They also put my big bag through twice and had to empty it, and I never figured out what the problem was. I rushed to get to my gate and just made it as there was a shuttle that left 20 minutes before takeoff.
UTTAR PRADESH CENTRAL (Lucknow, Kanpur)
LUCKNOW
Jai Prakash Narayan International Center (Museum of Socialism). The JPN Museum is a wedged-shaped monument with a massive arch carved out of the mass; its nine-metre height and twenty-metre ambitious span are clearly attempts to push the limits of structural design and construction. Its stepped roof terminates in a pavilion that shows a panoramic view of the R.M. Lohia Park and the Convention Centre.
It is a multi-purpose convention centre – convention halls, a luxury hotel with 107 rooms, a gym, spa, salon, restaurants, a 2,000-seat convention hall, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a seven-floor car park for 591 vehicles, and a museum dedicated to to socialist leader’s Jayaprakash Narayan’s life and ideologies. Bizzarium:
Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden. This large zoo was surprising nice with lovely enclosures. However, it is confusing and one is not able to find any easy route through the zoo. There is not a great selection of animals (giraffe and rhino, many birds, Bengal tigers, sloth bears and a magnificent Himalayan griffen vulture were some of the critters). Has good signs with descriptions of the animals. 100R
State Museum. On the zoo grounds, the exhibits included archaeology (many Buddhas, Jain and Hindu gods), terracotta, stone age to copper age, Egyptian sphinx’s and a mummy, and a section of Jain gods.
Lucknow Charbagh Station. A colonial era train station.
Lal Pul Bridge. This may be the most unusual “bridge” in the world. It looks like a normal street but under the road is a whole community. It wasn’t clear how to get down there.
Indira Gandhi Planetarium. The bottom has good summaries on all the planets. The show in the planetarium was in Hindi and concentrated on zodiac constellations and the planets. 100R
Bara Imambara. Built in 1784-89, this is a shrine to Hussain, the grandson of Mohammed who along with 72 companions was butchered at Karbala in Iraq. Enter a massive 3-arched gate, a round garden, a second huge 3-arched gate, a large square of grass, a huge mosque on the right (can’t be entered) and inside several tombs – Nawab Asaf-ud-Dairla (1775-97), his wife and his architect;
Rumi Darwaza. A monumental arched gate built in 1784 and the emblem of Lucknow.
Clock Tower Hussainabad was constructed to mark the arrival of Sir George Couper, the lieutenant governor of North-West Province. It was built at a cost 1.75 Lakhs R. The tower showcases a fusion of Mughal and Victorian architectural elements. It is located adjacent to the Rumi Darwaza, near to Bara Imambara and Teele Wali Masjid. Built in the year 1881, Husainabad Clock Tower is adjudged as the tallest among all the clock towers in India. It is 67 metres (220 ft) in height, and it reflects Victorian and Gothic style structural designs. Gunmetal is used for building the clock parts. Its gigantic pendulum has a length of 14 feet, and the dial of the clock is designed in the shape of a 12-fully gold flower and bells around it.
This massive square, brick, square clock tower has nice Islamic design elements and a mechanical clock on each side (with accurate time). Urban Legends
Chota Imambara. Pass through a big gate, a square with a pool and enter the main building with a dramatic facade of white designs on a black background. Inside are several tombs (covered with a green cloth and topped with an unusual complex “castle”, many chandeliers, and gilt. Not worth the price. The Shah Hamman is a royal bath. 30R, 200 foreigners.
Musa Bagh was built in 1803-04 by Saadat Ali Khan, the sixth nawab of Awadh. Initially, it was a walled Nawabi charbagh (garden) laid out by Nawab Asaf-ud-daulah. It was built as a country house, inspired from the designs of Claude Martin.. This was a long drive to the west side of Lucknow and not worth all the time and traffic. It is a blend of Mughal and Persian architectural styles, evident in its intricate carvings, domes, and symmetrical layout. The use of red sandstone is a hallmark of Mughal architecture.
The battle of Musa Bagh was in 1858, when a British force, under Sir James Outram, totally routed a body of mutineers, 7,000 strong, under Huzrat Mahul, Begum of Oude, which was holding the Musa Bagh, a fortified palace in the outskirts of Lucknow. It is a ruin and not well maintained. Free Vestiges of the Past
My last site in Lucknow, I took an Uber back – about 1 1/2 hous to drive about 20 km in terrible Lucknow traffic.
I ate at the same street stands near the hostel – great food.
ON Nomad Cave. A very good hostel for my second night. 500R/night
Day 7 Fri Oct 17
Flight. Lucknow to Raipur @08:50-10″10. Indigo A320. I booked this through Expedia and will never do that again.
I was up at 04:45, showered and got an Uber to the airport. There was virtually no traffic and guy drove over 90km/h all the way!. Amazing for India. 460R
My original plan was to see several more regions (for the second time), but with Diwali and its transportation issues, I decided to skip them all, including Delhi.
GO TO Chhatteagarh, Odisha West and Jharkhand
HIMACHAL PRADESH (Shimla, Manali, Nahan, Dharamsala)
THE GREAT HIMALAYAN NATIONAL PARK WHS is a national park in Himachal Pradesh. The park was established in 1984 with a size of 1171 km2, and elevations between 1500 and 6000 m. The Great Himalayan National Park is a habitat to numerous flora and more than 375 fauna species, including approximately 31 mammals, 181 birds, 3 reptiles, 9 amphibians, 11 annelids, 17 mollusks and 127 insects.
The GHNP is at the junction of the world’s two major biogeographic realms: the Indomalayan realm to the south and the Palearctic realm to the north. Above 4,100 m are alpine, glacial, temperate, and subtropical forests. This resulted from plate tectonics and continental drift over 100 million years ago; the Indian sub-continent broke off from the large, southern landmass, Gondwanaland and moved north. It eventually slammed into the northern land mass, Laurasia, and formed the gigantic folded mountains of the Himalaya. Due to this union of Gondwanaland and the Asian landmasses, the exchange of flora and fauna was possible, and this ultimately led to the unique biogeographical features in the region.
The conservation area covers the Great Himalayan National Park plus the Tirthan and Sainj Wildlife Sanctuaries. Its high-altitude forests and alpine meadows hold diverse flora with the greatest concentration of medicinal plants known for all of the Himalayas. It is the habitat of globally threatened mammals such as the Snow Leopard and Himalayan Brown Bear, and globally threatened birds, including the Western Tragopan pheasant.
Getting There. The actual boundaries of the eco zone of the park start in Sairopa village, located on the Banjaar-Gushaini road. The core zone is in Gushainin and takes a 4-5 km trek from there (1,5 hours, one way) to the boundary. Begin on a local road on the right side of the river that turns into a path that goes through three hamlets. The first sign of the national park is a further kilometre ahead (Darakhali Point).
Begin in either Kullu or Bhuntar (where Kullu airport is located). Then a bus to Aut and then Banjaar. Banjaar – Gushaini has infrequent buses, so a taxi may be better (1500 Rs for a full day – including waiting time). Accommodation and restaurants are common.
