The city of Chandigarh is one of the most unique places in India - serving as the capital of both the Punjab and Haryana states, but incredibly neither being a part of the two. Its condition is termed as "union territory" and is directly administered by the country's central government.
The first thing that will strike any visitor to Chandigarh, however, is its organized landscape. Carefully designed by the modernist architect Le Corbusier, its landscape is characterized by a geometric and green appearance, leading many to hail it as the face of modern India.
The defining highlight of Chandigarh is probably the Capitol, its seat of government whose architecture represents the signature work of its designer. Not surprisingly, security is tight, and tourists would have to first ask permission from the local Tourist Bureau before being allowed access. Once inside, one will be able to see its other infrastructure, such as the Secretariat, the High Court, and the Legislative Assembly, whose collective beauty have enticed many visitors to take as many photographs as they can.
Another worthy attraction is the so-called Rock Garden, a picturesque clearing embellished with more than 20,000 examples of rock art that were made mostly from recycled industrial and urban waste. The story goes that more than 36 years ago, a transport official named Nek Chand made a clearing in a jungle and then filled it with various figures made out of the waste materials he found lying in the site. Soon, his collection grew to the point that it already spanned a few acres - and was discovered by the government. What he did was said to be illegal (it was a forbidden area then), but the officials were so enamored with his art that they let him continue his work and paid him a salary.
There is also the Sukhna Lake, a man-made reservoir built in 1958 by damming a nearby stream. It is a favorite recreation spot by locals and tourists alike, with its walking paths, shops, amusement parks, and rent-a-boats. Visitors too can't go wrong heading to the Rose Garden, which holds a reputation as the largest of its kind in Asia, as well as being the site of a popular rose festival.