Chandigarh: A Photographic Exploration of India’s First Planned City
Sharing the fun - Rock Garden - Chandigarh
A City of Unexpected Contrasts
After the great time we had in Prayagraj for the wedding, we headed to Chandigarh where we’d meet a friend of ours. It was our first time at that city, and we arrived late in the night. We met our friend at the airport and went straight to a restaurant to have a proper meal after having spent the whole day in airports. Our first impression: this is no Prayagraj, but this is still India. The honking was still there, but the streets and the architecture, it was clearly all planned and pretty organized. A different type of beauty when compared to chaotic charm of our previous stop.
Despite the late arrival, our curiosity was already piqued. Chandigarh felt different - structured, modern, yet unmistakably Indian. The night gave us only a glimpse, but by morning, we’d step into a city where nature, creativity, and tradition coexisted in unexpected ways.
Chandigarh Zoo
Our plan for the day for the first day: a visit to the Zoo. It seems trivial, but what a Zoo. Huge, even including a mini-safari. We were eager to see some of the local animals, since those are not always around in Western world.
As we wandered through the zoo, the presence of school groups added an unexpected charm to the visit. Their energy, their curiosity, sometimes about the animals, sometimes about us, made the place feel even more alive. Walking through the vast grounds, telephoto lenses in hand, it almost felt like a wildlife expedition rather than a typical zoo visit. The blend of open spaces, thick greenery, and local species we’d never seen before turned it into an experience far beyond what we expected.
Here’s a glimpse of what we saw - Chandigarh’s Zoo through our lenses:
Next Stop: Rock Garden
After a rewarding experience through Chandigarh’s zoo, we wrapped up our first day feeling both tired and pleasantly surprised. The zoo had given us a taste of nature right in the middle of an organized city, a contrast that made Chandigarh even more interesting. The first day was all about wildlife, the next day would take us somewhere entirely different - a place where recycled materials are turned into art, where imagination ran free, and where every corner and small passage, was a totally new surprise.
The Rock Garden of Chandigarh is a huge open-air art “garden” created by Nek Chand, with thousands of sculptures made entirely from recycled materials like broken ceramics, glass, and industrial waste. Believe me, it’s bigger than you think when you go through the (very) small front gate. You will be surprised.
Here are some of the photos we were able to capture in this long and fascinating walk, including my favorite photo of 2024 (the first photo of this post, above).
A Gaushala
On a certain morning, we went for a walk around the hotel, and not far from there, after passing by several auto-rickshaws honking non-stop, we got to a corner where we found a Gaushala. This is a place of reverence. Cows are sacred to the Hindus, and a Gaushala is where they serve the cows.
There are several of those in India, and that one had about 1,000 cows, from which, only 25 were providing milk. The rest were just being served. This is how it works: people buy hay at the entrance. 100 rupees would give you a big bowl of hay. Then you walk around the cows and simply feed them. Some people pray, others pet the cows. It’s definitely something different from the devotion we see on the western side of the world.
The people from the Gaushala are very friendly. We were super welcome there. They took us to the back where there are fewer people and gave us lots of hay so we could feed the cows, which we did. Afterwards, they walked us to the office where we got to taste the delicious chai. They were curious to get to know us better and to teach us about their traditions.
We also visited the adjacent temple. Colorful with pictures of several of the gods and some prayer going on. This was an unexpected visit, which we thoroughly enjoyed. The friendliness of the Indian people is truly remarkable.
Check below some of our photos from the visit to the Gaushala in Chandigarh.
The People of Chandigarh
Besides visiting some of the landmarks in the city, we also visited our dear friends. This was definitely the highlight of our stay in Chandigarh. We already know that Indian people are one of the friendliest in the world, and we felt truly at home, which made everything special. They took us everywhere, helped us with the food and navigating the city. We couldn’t be more grateful. They certainly are one of the reasons we want to go back to that chaotic yet beautiful country for more.
Have you been to India? Share your experience in the comments below.
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