Chandigarh

Chandigarh History

In this article, we will provide you with the Chandigarh history that will give you useful pieces of information on the origin of Chandigarh, India. Before the partition of India, Lahore was the capital city of the undivided Punjab. But, after the partition, when Lahore went to Pakistan, India was left without any capital. Also, it led to the migration of people from west Punjab to the eastern towns within India. These two factors gave rise to the need to choose a site in the foothills of the Shivalik range that would serve as the capital of Punjab. Read on to know more about the origin and history of Chandigarh…

A committee was set up to choose a suitable site, keeping in mind various factors like military vulnerability, drinking water, climatic conditions, etc. Finally, a site was selected, but that was in the shape of farms. The city 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). The project faced a setback with the sudden demise of Nowicki. It was then that the other teammates refused to work on the project.

The committee was again handed over the task of finding a team for the completion of the project. In the year 1951, a well-known French architect, named Le Corbusier, took charge of giving the city a modern look. He further appointed a team, who worked under his
supervision and guidance. The team decided to work in two phases. While designing the city, factors like pollution, traffic, travel and tourism, and other environmental aspects were borne in mind. This is how Chandigarh turned into a well-planned capital city of Punjab, India.

Best Time to Visit Chandigarh

The best time to visit Chandigarh is the period between mid-August and November when the weather is neither too hot nor too cold. Since Chandigarh is located in the plains; it enjoys moderate weather like other North Indian cities experience. Summers are sometimes very hot and then the arrival of monsoon comes like a pleasant
surprise. Read on to know more about the Chandigarh peak time:

 The ideal time to visit Chandigarh starts in the mid of August. By that time, the monsoons are almost over, and the temperature keeps dropping, giving a warm welcome to the winter season. Tourism is on its boom during this season. Tourists come from different parts of the country to visit this beautiful city of gardens.