The beautiful city of Chandigarh is worth visiting in itself and also acts as
a base for further excursions in North India.
Chandigarh is a vast city, which is best covered either in
auto rickshaws, taxis or car. The bus network is quite wide though buses are
crowded. Private taxis are available at the bus terminus. Rented cars are
all chauffeur driven. Self-driven vehicles are not available. Cycle
rickshaws are also available, but can be useful only for short distances.
Temple of Goddess Chandi
A visit to Chandigarh is not complete without a visit to the temple of
Goddess Chandi, which is located in Panchkula, 10 km away from Chandigarh. In
fact, the name Chandigarh is derived from this temple. Nearby is the temple of
Mansa Devi. Both the temples are built in the North Indian style of
architecture.
The Mansa Devi and Chandi Mandir temples
in Panchkula, Haryana are about10 kms from Chandigarh. These
ancient temples were pilgrim sites much before Chandigarh was formed. The Mansa
Devi temple also has a garden with sacred plants.
Cactus and Succulent Botanical
Garden
There is the Panchkula Cactus and Succulent Botanical Garden, which houses over 2,500 varieties of cacti and other succulent plants from all parts of the world.
Chhattbir Zoo
Located on the banks of River Ghaggar, 15 km from
Chandigarh city, the Chattbir Zoo is an ideal getaway. The zoo lies on the Chandigarh-Patiala Road. Tourist areas within Punjab include the Chhatbir Zoological Park 15 kms from
Chandigarh with a collection of animals, birds and reptiles, a lion safari and
the Royal Bengal tigers. - Open from Tuesday to Sunday.
- Closed on Monday.
- Phone: 01762-286303
Pinjore
Garden
(Now Yadavindra Gardens; 20 km). Pinjore,
20 k
ms from Chandigarh on the route to Kalka, is favoured for its Mughal style
Yadavindra Gardens. The site is associated with the Hindu epic Mahabharata as
one of the spots where the Pandava brothers rested while in exile. Spread over
100 acres, the gardens have three palaces built in the Mughal and Rajasthani
styles, and numerous fountains and pavilions. The state tourism department has
converted one of the three palaces into a hotel and added an aviary, otter
sanctuary and zoo. The hotel also has inexpensive dormitory accommodation and a
restaurant with bar.
Morni Hills
(45 km). Morni Hills, 45 kms from
Chandigarh is a nature park at an altitude of 3,000 feet. It is a good place for
rock climbing and trekking. One can also sight wild deer, the langur and rhesus
monkeys, leopards and peacocks, from which the forest got its name. There is a
small hotel as well as a Forest Department rest house besides other small lodges
within t
he area.
Morni Hills are an offshoot of Shivalik range, which run in two parallel ranges. The village of Morni (Bhoj Jabial) lies on the mountainside, at 1220 meters or 3600 feet above sea level. Traditions assign the name of Morni to a Queen who is believed to have ruled this area. Situated in the lower reaches of the Shivalik range, Morni is ideal for a holiday with its cool clime, beautiful natural vistas and myriad opportunities for bird watching, trekking, rock-climbing and other adventure sports. The best time for visiting Morni Hills is from September to March.
Cross Highway 22.45 km tom Chandigarh. 'Past the Panchkula township. Along a state mad, head towards the hills. Past sleepy hamlets and cultivated terraces. Chugging up a hill climb of above 8000 ft. with wilderness all around. Continue past the pine, to our place in Morni Hills. Nestling in a pocket of pine. Overlooking the humpbacked blue hills in the distance. Hiding In their midst are trek mutes to the bank of the serpentine river Ghaggar, two water bodies and a dilapidated fort of the Queen of Morni. Morni a perfect holiday station for groups and the family. Ideal for such adventure sport as rock-climbing, trekking and nature rambles.
There are two lakes or tals, which seem to
be mysteriously interconnected, even though they are
separated by a hillock. The water level in both the tals always remains the
same, as there is a hidden channel under the hill connecting them. The larger is
about 550 meters long and 460 meters broad and the other about 365 meters either
way.Locals consider the lake auspicious and gather here on ceremonial occasions.
A small temple on the banks contains a Trimurti (the Hindu Trinity), which dates
back to the 12th century AD when a Shiva temple was also supposed to have
existed at the site.
Morni offers many interesting trekking options. One can trek to the two tals and the fort and for the more adventurous; there are treks to the bank of the river Ghaggar, which flows past Morni. Goat tracks lead out of the tourist complex for those keen on walks. The tourist authorities are examining the viability of hang-gliding in Morni, introducing yet another special attraction.
Kasauli
(77 km). About 12 kms from the Shimla to Kalka road, Kasauli is a charming place and a popular side trip from Shimla, or an alternative to staying in Shimla. There are numerous lovely walks around Kasauli, including one to Sanawar, another picturesque hill town and the location of a famous colonial college
Chail
(107 km). Chail was created by the Maharaja of Patiala as a summer capital after his expulsion from Shimla. The town is built on three hills - one is topped by the Chail Palace, one by the village itself and the other by the Snowview mansion. Three kilometres from the village is the world's highest cricket ground built in 1893. There is also a wildlife sanctuary 3 kms from Chail.
Shimla
(110 km). Shimla was once part of the Nepalese kingdom and called Shyamala. In 1864 Shimla became the summer capital of India. Following independence, Shimla was initially the capital of the Punjab, then became the capital of Himachal Pradesh in 1966. Today, Shimla is a pleasant, sprawling town, set among cool pine-clad hills with plenty of crumbling colonial charm. High season is mid-April to mid-July, mid-September to late October and mid-December to mid-January. The best time to visit is mid-September to late November.
Kurukshetra
90 kms from Chandigarh
is the epic battlefield of Kurukshetra. It is here, acc
ording
to the Mahabharata, that the battle between the two clans of Kauravas and
Pandavas was fought. Lord Krishna, an incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu,
delivered his sermon, the Bhagavat Gita to the Pandava prince Arjun to motivate
him to fight for justice. The Bhagavat Gita is one of the most revered holy
texts of the Hindus, and devout Hindus follow its teachings as a guide to good
living. The site is now marked with a sacred pool and several temples.
Bhakra Nangal
The Bhakra Nangal complex, 116 kms. from Chandigarh has one of the highest dams in the world on the Sutlej river. A major powerhouse that supplies to the northern power grid, the project has a 40 square kilometre reservoir called the Gobind Sagar, with restaurant and boating facilities.
Anandpur Sahib
Several Sikh shrines and pilgrimages are located within easy distance of Chandigarh. Among them, the most important is the Anandpur Sahib 80 kms from Chandigarh on the road to Manali. The site commemorates the founding of Khalsa sect by the tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh. Anandpur Sahib is one of five seats of religious authority or Takhats, and is a fortified town with gates and ramparts.
Fatehgarh
Sahib
The other important shrine in Punjab is the Fatehgarh Sahib, in Sirhind 40 kms from Chandigarh. The main Gurudwara commemorates the martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh’s young sons, who were walled in on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb for not converting to Islam. The Gurudwara Jyot Swarup nearby stands on the spot where the martyrs were cremated.
Sirhind
Sirhind was also a strategically important town, being the capital of the Suri Sultans. The 16th century fort of Sher Shah Suri includes a hammam (Turkish bath), the Daulat Khana or residence of the rulers and the Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors). A part of the ruins have been converted into a Tourist Complex overlooking a large tank and the Sheesh Mahal. However, most of the complex has been taken over by the Archaeological Survey and it is better to stay at the Tourist Complex (Ph: 01763 – 40170) on the main Grand Trunk road.
Patiala
Patiala, 70 kms from Chandigarh is the seat of the princely state of that name. The city has old Mughal style palaces, forts and gardens. The town is also famous for its Sports Institute and has a gallery of medals. The rulers of Patiala were renowned for their ostentatious life-style, and the “Patiala peg” – an extra large peg of whisky is fabled to have originated in the royal household. Patiala is also well known for its handcrafted jutties and the wide-bottomed Patiala salwar.
Ropar
and Sanghol
Ropar, 45 kms and Sanghol, 40 kms from Chandigarh are two archaeological sites, which have revealed artefacts from the Indus Valley civilisation up to the 5th century AD. At Sanghol discoveries include 117 Kushana sculptures and the base of a Buddhist stupa. These two sites are of prime importance in line with the archaeological sites of Mohenjodaro and Harappa, now in Pakistan.