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| Nek Chand's Rock Garden Chandigarh |
Nek Chand's Rock Garden is the
most beautiful and famous tourist place to visit in Chandigarh. I already
visited the Rock garden two times during my Chandigarh visit. Without visiting the
Rock garden of the Chandigarh, your visit to the Chandigarh will not be
completed.
You can't imagine that the Rock
Garden is a top tourist place for tourists, family, couples, and nature-lovers
in Chandigarh. It attracts thousands of tourists daily from India and abroad.
Chandigarh's Rock garden has become so famous that our Prime Minister Mr.
Narendra Modi has also visited this place.
Rock Garden is basically a
sculpture garden. It was founded by Nek Chand Saini. Hence it is also popular
as Nek Chand’s Rock Garden in Chandigarh. Presently Rock garden is spread over
an area of 40 acres in Chandigarh.
You can say as a king's empire
created by Nek Chand, which depicts the overall life and ecology of India along
with the rural environment and other places. The Rock garden is located near
Sukhna Lake. It is a great example of waste management.
Rock Garden Chandigarh History
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| Nek Chand's Rock Garden Starting Point |
Chandigarh Rock's garden history
is not much old. Its construction was started by Nek Chand Saini in the year
1958, who was worked in the Public Works Department as the road inspector.
Nek Chand used waste useless
materials such as useless tube lights, broken bangles, broken pots, glass
bottles, ceramic utensils, wires, auto parts, electrical wastes, sugar cups,
flush seats, bottle caps, etc. for the construction of the garden.
Nek Chand was very creative. He
decided to convert all this waste material into an artistic model. They used
to collect small pieces of debris and give them various artistic shapes.
Gradually this thing spread in the people and then they came to know about his
art and artifacts, till he had made more than 2000 sculptures.
Then Chandigarh's administration
recognized his talent and giving importance to his work and adopts the garden.
Then the garden was officially inaugurated in 1976 and the Rock garden continued to
grow slowly towards its progress and development.
Phases of Rock Garden Chandigarh
Rock Garden construction
completed in three phases.
1. The First Phase
Construction of
the Rock Garden started in 1956. The major part of this phase was built by the
Nek Chand and it complete in 1976. A lot of sculptures with man-made interlinked
waterfalls are there in this phase.
2. The Second Phase
Second phase
constructed from 1976 to 1983. During this phase, a waterfall, a check, a small
theatre, garden, path, and courtyard were built in this garden. This phase also
constructed under the supervision of Nek Chand with help of laborers. Some of
the artwork placed in the second phase of Rock Garden was made by Nek Chand
himself.
3. The Third Phase
Third phase
completed in 2003. In this phase, there were several major constructions,
including a series of arches. Swings were hung from these arches. The third
phase of the rock garden is the latest part of it, which is the public area.
Public ceremonies and domestic ceremonies are also held in this vast area.
Rock Garden Architecture
Initially, it was constructed
only in 12 acres but now it is spread over an area of 40 acres. Rock Garden as
per construction can be divided into three phases. There are more than 5,000
small and big artifacts that are kept, which are made by plastering clay on
concrete.
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| Laughing Mirrors Chamber at Rock Garden |
Rock Garden architecture looked
like a kingdom. There are a variety of doorways, archways, vestibule, streets,
and lanes of different scales and dimensions in the garden. At the Rock garden,
there are different types of chambers.
- Natural Rock-form housing
- Main Royal court of the king
- Royal Poet's Chamber
- Musician's Chamber
- Swimming Pool for the Queen
- Grand palace complex,
- Minars
- Waterfalls
- Pond
- Open-air theatre
- Village
- Mountains
- Overbridges
- Pavilions
- The tree and root sculpture
- Laughing Mirrors chamber
- Dolls Museum
- Fish house
Third phase equipped with a mural
made of broken tones, which is located in one corner of the area. This part of
the Rock Garden is very extensive and the entire area is equipped with Bohemian
art.
The Rock garden has been
completely designed environmentally friendly. It also has facilities for
rainwater harvesting. Apart from this, recycled water is also used for the
flowing waterfalls here.
Best Time to Visit Rock
Garden Chandigarh
The best time to visit the Rock
Garden of Chandigarh is during the Teej festival that is the very famous
festival of Haryana and Punjab state.
During the Teej festival, the
Rock garden beautifully decorated with lights and the main attraction place of
the city peoples and nearby tourists. The Rock garden full with the tourist
during this time.
As per season the February to
April months are the best time to visit the Rock garden. You can enjoy Chandigarh
weather with the beauty of the garden.
According to my point of view
going to the early morning at the Rock, the garden will be the best time than
the evening time. If you have no other destination to visit, then you can enjoy
it here for a long time.
If you want to visit this place
when there is less crown then you have to avoid public holidays, festivals, and
weekends to visit the Rock garden.
Rock Garden Timings
The Rock garden opens daily for
visitors and tourists. The Rock garden Chandigarh timings are different for the summer and winter seasons.
For the summer season, from 1st
April to 30th September garden timings are
- Morning opening time: 09:00 am
- Evening closing time: 07:00 pm
For the winter season, from 1st
October to 31st March garden timings are
- Morning opening time: 09:00 am
- Evening closing time: 06:00 pm
Rock garden closing time in the evening is 06:00 pm in winter and in summer it is 07:00 pm.
Rock Garden Ticket Price
Rock Garden ticket prices for
adults and kids are different. The ticket prices for the rock garden are very
nominal for its real beauty. The ticket prices listed below.
- For Adults: 40/- per person
- For Kids: 20/- per kids
- Children below 4 years: Free
Rock Garden Trip Duration
If you want to see the complete
Rock garden with every place, then you have to plan for a full day visit plan.
The minimum time required for this garden is 4 to 5 hours. The Garden is so
spacious and big. There are lots of things to see here. For nature lovers and
art lovers, there are many things to see.
Facilities at Rock Garden Chandigarh
The Rock garden of Chandigarh has
lots of facilities for visitors and tourists so it is the most famous tourist
place in Chandigarh.
- It has good parking space for two and four-wheelers.
- There is a cafeteria inside the garden campus.
- Washrooms and drinking water available in many places.
How to Reach Rock Garden Chandigarh
The Nek Chand’s Rock garden is
situated at Uttar Marg, in Sector 1 in the north direction of Chandigarh, that
about 1.5 km far away from Sukhna Lake. Buses, cabs, and auto-rickshaws are
easily available for the Rock garden.
Chandigarh is a well-known and
popular city. You can reach there easily from nearby states.
By Road
Chandigarh has a good road and
highway network. It is very well connected by the nearby state transport
buses. Lots of roadways and private buses available from nearby states such as
Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
The Inter-State Bus Terminus
(ISBT) is situated in Sector 17 and nearest to the Rock garden than the railway
station and airport. Rock garden distance is from ISBT Chandigarh is only 4 km.
By Train
Chandigarh is well connected by
Rail to different cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Chennai, etc. by
various Shatabdi, Jan Shatabdi, and Express trains. The Chandigarh Railway station is 7 km from the Rock garden. You will reach the Rock garden from the
railway station within 15 minutes.
By Air
Chandigarh International Airport
is well maintained and the center of lots of private and public airlines. Here
you will get easily city buses, taxies, cabs, and auto for any city destination
points. The Rock garden distance is about 23 km from the airport and you have
to spend on travel about 45 minutes to reach there.
If you want to go to Rock garden
directly from the Chandigarh airport then there is no direct bus route. You
have to either book an auto or take a cab. Buses, cabs, and auto-rickshaws are
easily available for the Rock garden.
TouristBug’s Recommendations
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| Artifacts at Rock Garden |
- The Rock garden of Chandigarh is a very beautiful and unique style that makes it different in various gardens. If you have not seen this place yet, then you definitely visit here.
- The Rock garden is full of photogenic places where you can take lots of pictures with your friends and family members. Photography is not prohibited here.
- The garden is not suitable for high heels sandals of ladies so avoid using them during a visit here. Sports shoes for men will be a better option here.
- Disabled people can't enjoy the entire area of the Rock garden due to its difficult terrain nature. There is no wheelchair accessibility.
- Avoid public holidays, festivals, and Sunday to visit the Rock garden there is a huge crowd on these days, and ticket counters have a long queue.
- It is a good picnic spot for the nearby city families, who have to enjoy their weekends here.
Nearby Tourist Places to Visit
Sukhna Lake is another topmost
tourist places to visit in Chandigarh that is situated less than 2 km far away
from the Rock garden.
Chandigarh is a gateway to
Himachal Pradesh as one can reach various hill stations like Kasauli, Chail,
Shimla, etc. within a few hour's drive. The hill stations Kullu & Manali
with Rohtang Glacier are easily accessible from Chandigarh.