The Perfect City: Chandigarh

All I could sum up my experience of Chandigarh trip in 4 words: “you are being watched”, always.

Either by the excellent cops which are as impossible to be founded behind the bush as it is to keep from getting caught while you are trying to be just “a little” smart. You are being watched, always, at every hour, on every signal, in every turn of your staring wheel; so be alert is my first tip to step inside this empire.

Carved out on 1^st November 1966, this city serves the capital of a Hindi speaking, Haryana and a Punjabi speaking state, Punjab and in itself forms a union territory- one with the highest economy in India. The city was build after the world- war 1 and in order to grant the east Punjab (India) its new capital, after the partition with the west Punjab (Pakistan) in 1947. Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, the then prime minister of India wanted a separate city to be planned, specifically, signifying freedom. And here we had Chandigarh, deriving its name from goddess Chandi, as the most perfect city one could wish to stay in.

No doubt, the city is as best with its architecture as the people are in maintain it. I have never come across such a clean city in all around India. Any tour guide may suggest you of a few quite repeatedly mentioned places as an attraction, including: Rock Garden, Rose Garden, Government museum, in its top list. But now that you are done with it all and have grown up for some real city to be explored, here is your itinerary. Undoubtedly, Rock Garden continues to be one of the must visit places and definitely one of its kind, if you are very new to the place, the rest comes after that. And once you are ready for the after-that, there we go!

The beauty of any city lies in its streets.  Which means, if you missed to roam around on the streets, the small shops of the market area and hang by the local cafeteria, you could possibly never get the essence of the real town, its people and culture? And Chandigarh, being accolade for its outstanding architecture, definitely deserves a look at some of its beautiful market places.

 First and foremost, Sector 17. The most ventured market uptown has all your favourite brands, sector satara, gains its glory since the times when no malls existed in the city and yet is more preferred by the locals for its grand base and huge collection. Not to mention, when in Chandigarh, parking is never a problem!

Gedi Route, one of the vagabond street every city has its own. For the college students, sajje: hot chicks, 28-lakhh, khabbe: opulent 4 wheelers and biceps under Gucci glares; Gedi Route is all about an evening ride with your best company. Do not fail to witness the walls painted all over reading “sadda haq, aithe rakh!”

The best tour is never complete without the best food, and when in Chandigarh the list may never be big enough. The city has a lot to offer, especially if you are a non-veg lover. One of the- not to skip- for you is Nandos. The great chain for non vegetarians has its own special preparation of peri- peri pinch that serves food in its very own style that stands exclusively in Nandos. Hop in for a great dinner here. However, if you are much of a vegetarian like me, something new is awaiting your way in the name of Sindhi Sweets. The restaurant and sweet shop has more than a bulk of outlets around the city and offers the yummiest of all time meals. When here, do not forget to try on Sindhi delicacies, making to its speciality, like Sindhi dal etc.

Like every city Chandigarh has its own sweet tooth pleasing bakers but unlike others some of the desserts belong unusually and out and out to Chandigarh. One of them, I would say, is the fruit slice (pastry) at Nik Bakers, again with enormously spreaded outlets.  You may once afford to miss the Rock Garden over view but not the fruit slice at Nik. You have no idea what gratitude you would be leaving your taste buds with.

If you are a shopaholic, Chandigarh is NOT your shot, but if you are a waster over shopping, it definitely has a toy for every brat. Not sailing much at the street shopping, but when it comes to brands, this city serves more than in your knowledge. The lately established mall Ellante is a legendary stake to the same.

 “Fashion at Mumbai & climate at Chandigarh, change in no while.”

Chandigarh- Buddha Statue- Sukhna Lake (side view)

Chandigarh- Sukhna Lake (back side)

Done with the day full of shopping, slurping, tantalizing and wrangling, it’s time to admire the tranquillity of the city. Sukhna Lake, sector 1, is all where your Chandigarh visit could feel the real worth. The front side is mainly for tourist attraction entertaining photography, joggers, lovers, Buddha standees and tit bits for the passer bys. For more serenity, take the parallel road to the golf club heading towards the back side of the lake, which could possibly be the best of what you could have in the territory.

Of course, it is not just the cops who would make you feel so special on the streets. If you are a girl, you could feel that at every step. At every signal, in any coffee shop, while in a mall shopping or in a decent restaurant having dinner; right- left- ahead- behind, there would always be those char guys awaiting a look from you. No wonder why people turn conservative despite playing way modern in their approach. If you expecting the “big city” culture of hovering around free, unlike Mumbai and Delhi, this one may slightly turn you down. And no wonder it is safe to move around, it may yet not feel comfortable enough doing so.

If you are a night life lover, Chandigarh has quite some for you, but make sure you accompany guys along, all girls group idea may not be a very good idea in this city. Blue Blazer is one of the best lounges at your service, smooth at drinks, splashy at music and smothering at gourmet.  Sector 26 based this pub is surrounded with a lot many decent lounges you may love to add to your choice.

Underdogs Sports Bar is another knock at your crib to go wild. The best bar in the town allowing a few games like pool, cards etc, ear tickling music and eye capering ambiance makes the one of the best evening spots at the perfect city.

Chandigarh- Mocha cafe- Elante Mall

Just in case, night life doesn’t make for your cup of tea, a cup of coffee at Mocha would be an equally exquisite alternative to it. Ellante mall serves a number of best coffee shops around the globe in its front yard entertaining a flock of coffee and vine lovers who might please to sit by their own cinnamon sticks for hours. The place is all time full and is most enjoyed in night hours in all seasons of the year; al that swaps is the variety of drinks being ordered.

Though mentioned in a lot of tourist journals about the Le Corbusier museum and The Open Hand Monument, the two of them may come a disappointment to you is you are looking for a great sight. However, the interesting facts, maps and ideologies that clogged heads in planning the city could give a briefing before you head start your trip. The French architect awarded for his brilliance in planning the city’s layout is even today a legend to the budding architects, may interest students of architecture. Besides, The Open Hand Monument not more than what it appears to be in its pictures could be well understood at the museum site itself. I would suggest visiting the place right at the end of your visit, to make it easier for you to follow the city plan.

Chandigarh- Open Hand Monument

They say, “when in Chandigarh, do as Chandigarhis do”

 Do not forget to address someone by sir or ma’am, whether it’s a cop reaching your collar or a local you cling to get directions. Keep all the other designations (aunty, uncle, bhaiya etc.) aside- they hate it!

While getting directions, you might here, “follow me” more than the expected number of times. Do not bother, they mean it. Simply follow them!

 Any rule is a word of god. Do not even think of overlooking them.

Don’t judge people by their looks or the car they are windowing from, for everyone is beautiful and everyone is rich.

Do not totter while you are being goggled at, remember: you are being watched!

Ek tha tiger... at Kanha National Park

The “ek tha tiger” tag line following the anecdotes of my childhood had never risen up being so true. The quest for tiger began at 11-2-12 with the evening safari. The safari at kanha national park plays on the grounds of “the more you quest the more you exaggerate your temptation”.   From the 1945 sq km wide spread area of the forest only the 25%, being the core area, follows the preserving project of the wild life and is exposed to tourism. The remaining 75% paves the buffer zone or the free zone, holding no security or conserving issues.  Despite just having the ride of the 940km spread jungle it seems being striving for a glimpse of tiger like since an eon.

 One tiger owns a single territory and would never accede another ruler in his arena, may it be his own kids, particularly males. A tiger nails his mark on the bark of the tree scratching against it, signifying his command over the territory. His rival tiger scratches a point above the previous mark to prove his highness over the territory. The mark fight is not just all to prove the kingship. The preceding ranger could propose fight against his rival. His favorite feast being the wild pig and yet is the toughest of all his quarries.  Monkeys are yet another taste that the monarch enjoys. The first safari was the vista to a huge fauna including the bison, deer, sambhar and most jeopardized of all hard ground barahsingha found only in the jungles of kanha across the world.

Following the Cox commands of our driver and tourist guide, being provided by the resort itself, our hunting began cutting the edges of dusk at 6am. Above all odds of the weather we came down for not the hunting of tiger but for the tiger.  Visitors had not a single line of discomfort in carrying blankets over the gypsies, yet the ebullient in them shone well even in the paucity of flash. Not just the fauna but the reserve is famous for its interesting flora which sets the perfect balance of the life cycle feeding a huge range of herbivorous and omnivorous species dependent over them and successively obey the urge of their king.

The forest life stands on the laws of jungle and visiting the tiger’s territory you have to follow the same. Remember the underline to all rules; he is the king. Do not try to overpower his kingdom. The tiger is harmless until you let him believe in the same. The moment you dominate his rules, by anyway getting in his way, he has its own way of proving his sovereign. 

Library is not just the only place where you find “maintain silence” notions, believe me, jungle is another of the same kind the only difference being  that it never gets you a chance to  haggle over the cost to pay over its relinquishment. The peculiar screeching of the monkeys on the pinnacle of the tall salam woods, the call of the peafowl or crow of the cockerels made to alarm their fellow members of the presence of the predator around them. Drivers use these key sounds to trace the mark of tiger in the jungle.

Another brilliant explanation to the presence of the grand feline is the pug marks. Our Cox heads were smart enough to drive, keep us engage with their speculating tales and at the same time spot the embedded marks formed by the claws of the tiger.

Where tigers are estimated being 89 as per the recent count and the leopards being 110 in number the later are hard to spot; its boundless agility and its bashful attitude being the reason. Yet we were opportune enough to track one of them behind the golden green bushes eventually crossing our way at a leap. The drivers acknowledged themselves to akin the same befalling as they themselves had not sighted the patched beauty in months. The alacrity of the animal could be judged by no single image being shot in any of the cameras, undeterred by their pre-set modes.

And yet no longer ill- starred were we if we couldn’t find the tiger while in the safari. The gajhni was an answer to our yearnings. A short ride on the elephant in the periphery of the tracked wild cat was what culminated our pursuit. The interesting fact that came ahead in this spree was that the only specie these cats repulsed from was the elephants. Both the species maintained sight from each other out of dismay not being cognizant of each other’s clout. More than just the clout of elephant it’s the mahawat who pulls the strings tight. At a command of the mahawat, gestured by his stick, the tiger settles down as one of the domestic feline.

The fable thus verifies that at the end of the game humans have control on even the most pungent races, indeed makes this trip worth reiterating.