Chandigarh, Rock Garden

What began in the 1970′s has grown into a massive exhibition of art captivating some of its visitors, boring others, and just stumping the rest. I visited right at opening time (10 AM) to beat the heat and subsequently any crowds. Plan for at least an hour to cover the property properly. A rock garden may sound like a kitsch project gone awry yet it should be on any tourist’s list of sightseeing while in Chandigarh. Unlike the thread garden in Ooty, Tamil Nadu which I went into with low expectations and yet somehow even those weren’t met, the rock garden impressed me immensely. Clocking in at 4 acres, it’s a huge array of twists and turns. Every corner uncovers a new concept, a new character, new material used, or a new environment.

Inside you’ll find waterfalls, bridges, tunnels, passages, and more all in an outdoor, open-air setting. And it’s not just rocks used to bring the artist Nek Chand’s vision to reality. The garden boasts the use of recycled materials such as glass, bottles, ceramics, tiles, electrical waste, and more. Uncommon beauty flows throughout the garden bringing with it haunting thoughts, images in one’s mind while being stared down by hundreds of miniature man-line rock figurines.

For those that take more time to see this amazing feat, there are food and beverage stalls on site to curb your hunger. Toilets are readily available as well. Entry fee Rs 100.