Chandigarh had the honour of hosting the granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee. She was here as part of the national girls youth peace camp.

December 5 marked the national volunteer day which began from Chandigarh, and the motive is to gather over 500 volunteers within 30 days from different parts of the country.

At the concluding day of three-day National Girls Youth Peace Camp, a unique campaign for girls and women friendly ‘Safe public spaces Chandigarh’ was launched in her presence at Carmel Convent School, Sector 9, Chandigarh. Caroline Rowett, British Deputy High Commissioner, presided over the ceremony.

“The women I work with inspire me to fight for women’s rights while working for the Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trusts across India. I have seen women living through the worst, the best, and the hardest conditions. Their courage to work, their confidence, and their willingness to fight—that keeps me going,” said Tara Gandhi while addressing a gathering.

‘Chandigarh Citizens Initiative of Girls and Women Friendly City-the SDG 5 Compatible Chandigarh 2030 Campaign’ is exemplary and other cities and countries can learn so much from the experiments here, she said. She wished success to the campaign and lent her support to inspire young students to become ‘agents of change’.

She also dedicated a beautiful ‘oxygen park’ built at Carmel Convent School campus in memory of an ex-student, late Hirakshi, a class X student. Hirakshi, was killed in a mishap when part of a tree in the school campus fell on her in July this year. Seven best girl participants of National Girl Youth Peace Camp were also honoured.

The initiative was jointly organized by the Peace Club of Carmel Convent School, Yuvsatta-NGO, Chandigarh Institute of Hotel Management-CIHM, National Foundation for Communal Harmony under Government of India and Global Peace Foundation, USA.

Appreciating the initiative, British Deputy High Commissioner Caroline Rowett, said, “Imagine a new world—one created by bold young women, coming together to decide their own future and shaping the decisions that affect not only their lives, but their communities, their societies, and the world”.

Rowett believes that strengthening young women’s leadership is critical to the sustainability and resilience of women’s movements and long-term social transformation.

Sister Mary Supreeta, Principal, Carmel Convent, Sector 9, Chandigarh said, “When empowered young women rise up together, they break isolation, build solidarity, and strengthen movements that challenge the prevalent social, economic, and political barriers to their vision, voice, and agency”.

In a bid to promote indigenous talent in the Tricity and other parts of Punjab, Infosys Foundation, Bengaluru has come together with the famous Bhavan Vidyalaya chain of schools, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Chandigarh Kendra to celebrate art, music and drama in a unique, week-long Contemporary Art Festival.

After Pune and Bengaluru, this one-of-its-kind event to take place in Bhavan Vidyalaya, Chandigarh Campus (Sector 27) will be inaugurated by Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit on Dec 9.

Padmashri RK Saboo,  Chairman, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Chandigarh Kendra and ex-president Rotary International,  launched the poster of the festival.

With performances ranging from classical recitals and qawwalis to clown theatre and fusion concerts, this musical extravaganza is an attempt to put indigenous artists from the Tricity on the art and cultural map of India.  The festival also includes an art exhibition displaying works of over 40 artists from the Tricity and live art workshops.

Live Telecast

The event will also be broadcast live on the YouTube channels of Chandigarh and Bengaluru Kendras of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. This is the first time that an event of such a scale has been organized by Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Chandigarh. Through this programme, citizens of the Tricity will get an opportunity to immerse themselves in music, art, drama and spirituality.

What’s on offer:

• Dec 9: Spiritual seeker Geet Rao will perform Shiv Aradhana; dance drama – Bharat Amrit Manthan, by the artists of Pracheen Kala Kendra
• Dec 10-11: Live Art Workshop
• Dec 10: Qawwali by the Ibadat group in the evening
• Dec 11: A concert by Guru Rohit Ashwa Bali from Chandigarh and Rajwinder Kaur from Amritsar
• Dec 12: Play ‘Romeo Juliet’ and ‘Saat Maskare’ directed by Sukhmani Kohli; fusion music by singer Hardeep Kainth from Ropar, Punjab.
• Dec 13: Kavi Ghosti by Vijay Kapoor; piano recital by Anu Bains, Pratham Pal Singh,Atul, Lakra and Nainika.
• Dec 14: Performance by singer and music teacher Purabi Baruah, Bharatanatyam by father-son duo, Rahul and Bharat Gupta.
• Dec 15: Music performance by singer Poonam Rajput; Play ‘First Teacher’ by city’s famous theater artist Chakresh Kumar.

The Art Exhibition will be on display on all days.

Date: Dec 9 – Dec 15

Entry: Free

With a mission to motivate students to take up Science as a subject in higher classes and to arouse their interest, a unique mobile science bus has been launched. It is equipped with state-of-the-art research and practical-lab facilities that can help students to perform practical exercises which are part of their course curriculum. The Science bus project is an initiative of Government of India’s Mobile Science Exhibitions (MSE) mission, and is a joint effort of Chandigarh University, Gharuan, and Department of Science and Technology (DST).

Worth Rs one crore, the science bus aims at covering all schools across the union territory of Chandigarh. The bus will be led by a team of 20 faculty members including national awardee Dr Jaswinder Singh (science expert), with 4 research scientists from Chandigarh University.

How will it help students?

It will showcase projects and help students perform more than 150 experiments up to Class 12 in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology along with providing information about various devices, tools, and developments in the field of science. The bus carries additional kits for students to perform experiments. There is provision for a multimedia projector screen for conducting experiments in a group.

There are some government schools in the periphery of Chandigarh where practical knowledge is almost zero as laboratory infrastructure is still developing, and hence, the Science Bus designed by the Chandigarh University will reach at their doorstep.

The Department of Education, Union Territory of Chandigarh, will also help in this project by sending their teachers on training of new technology so that they are equipped with the skills which are needed to teach the students.

Inaugurating the bus, UT Adviser to Administrator Dharam Pal said, “This Science Bus will become a milestone in school education and learning as it will reach out to so many students”.

Did we hear that right? Winters are definitely the time to be outdoors! Yes, at least till the foggy weather sets in. Taking this forward in the form of a community exercise, Tricity Picnics organised a get-together that aimed at spending some quality time outdoors with loved ones and others.

Speaking about the experience, Upasna who runs Tricity Picnics says, “We have been doing private picnics for some time now but we really wanted different people to come together and have fun without any inhibitions. This is why we organized a community picnic.”

The picnic came at a price though: Rs 1300 per adult and Rs 650 per child. Included in this extravaganza was brunch, a live pottery wheel experience, fun games and interactive activities, in addition to fun with farm animals and other such interactions which were aimed at bringing children close to Nature.

Sharing about her previous events, Upasna says, “We hosted a Children’s day picnic at Leisure valley in November. We organized a private picnic for the family of a client, Mr Dinesh Mohan at Machaan farms and many more”. Coming up soon is a Christmas movie evening.

About Tricity Picnics

Speaking about her initiative, Upasna shared her journey with CityWoofer “I was always a creative student but destiny had other plans, I did engineering and served in the corporate sector for 10 years,” she shares nostalgically. She wanted to break free from her sedentary job but had no valid reasons to convince her family. “One day my son’s teacher called me up to discuss his behavioural pattern and how he needed me. I got my calling and I put in my resignation papers without asking my family,” she adds. No one was happy, except her and her son.

“I started exploring the options which do not require sitting inside the four walls. It is said that things meant for you, find you one day. So I got to know about picnic parties held in foreign countries, rather than the usual restaurant parties. I loved the idea because I am an outdoor person and moreover, my own childhood picnic memories reinforced my decision,” Upasna says, about how she came across the idea.

“The next challenge was the partner. I approached my brother and his wife and it became a team of three. We cater to Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali, so the name,”she adds.

‘Tricity Picnics’ finally took shape in June 2021. “Lockdown was almost over and we were getting a good response. And now, after one and a half year, there is no looking back,” Upasna signs off.

Contact:  8284844220

Creative people abound in the Tricity going by the number of events showcasing different forms of art that are held here with equal participation from art lovers. One such fabric painting workshop was held at Art & Ko Cafe in Sector 34, Chandigarh by Dr Madhumeeta Banerjee, guest artist at the workshop.

Speaking about the idea behind the workshop, Tanvi, the owner of Art & Ko café, says, “I was always interested in fabric painting but never got a chance to try my hands on learning one. So I grabbed this opportunity to conduct this unique workshop for my clients as well as myself.”

The workshop had nine participants who gained immense artistic experience. Interestingly, all the material required was provided to the participants by the host in the form of a fabric kit. It included a wooden frame, fabric paints along with brushes, cloth and a lot of inspirational talk that accompanied steaming cups of coffee and snacks.

Sharing her experience about previous workshops held at her cafe space, Tanvi says she has held them using different media including acrylic, oil and watercolour.

“Artists from all over India come here to present their knowledge and share their experiences with us,” says Tanvi. For those who wish to make their birthdays a special occasion, special workshops are held.

About Art & Ko

This quaint little cafe can be spotted in a lush corner in an otherwise busy market of Sector 34 C, Chandigarh. A special point to note about this cafe is that it is dedicated to the promotion of art like no other eatery in town. As soon as one walks in one can see walls of the cafe decorated with astonishing and eye-catching artworks both by the owner and other artists.

Whoever comes across the cafe can’t help but spend a good amount of time perusing the beauty captured in the paintings. The place also offers art workshops, sometimes on weekends. There is a separate studio space for like-minded artists to get together. The all-vegetarian options on the menu are also as enticing as their masala chai.

Contact: 0172 413 0010

When it comes to food, everybody loves to try new cuisine different from the mundane. City denizens are in for a resplendent feast at the 9-day-long traditional food festival ‘The Flavours of North India’ being held at Kalagram, Manimajra.

If you are a food lover and live in the Tricity, you cannot afford to miss this food event where litti-choka from Bihar,  daal-baati-churma from Rajasthan , yakhani maas from J&K, diferent kind of madras and sidu from Himachal Pradesh are all available at one place. And there are ample number of days to relish these delicacies as well because the festival is being held for nine days, so may be one cuisine every day, and you won’t be disheartened. It is a first-of-its-kind feast held by NZCC (North Zone Cultural Centre), Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

The food festival is focusing on authentic flavours from member states of the NZCC and cooks from across Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, UTs of Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and Chandigarh have brought in the favourite foods of their respective states.

Food lovers are relishing the traditional sarson-da-saag and makki-di-roti from Punjab. Other culinary wonders in the veg category are paneer makhanwala, Amritsari chhole, rajmah and in the non-veg category, they had non-veg curry and saag, dhabewalla kukad, and many other delicacies to choose from.

The aroma of the tempting cuisines from the neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh attracted foodies to try madra (chana, rajmah and zimikand), teliya maah, auriya moong, sepu vadi, palda, siddu and babroo. For the non-veg foodies, Kamod meat and chicken anardana were the hot favourites. For the sweet tooth, meeta bhat and bathu keer were the choices.

Rajasthan has a special traditional menu for city foodies including daal-baati-churma, pyaz kachori, moong daal kachori, mirchi bada (veg) and special laal mutton thali, tawa chicken, chicken roll (non-veg). Churma laddu and moongdaal halwa were the tempting add-ons served hot.

Among an array of appetising culinary treats from Jammu and Kashmir, meethimaaz with rice, Kabab, rista with rice (non-veg), nadru yakhani dum aloo, and rajmah madra with rice, daal chana ambal with rice are among the Dogri veg food at the Jammu & Kashmir food stall.

The union territory of Ladakh has brought lip-smacking popot, thukpa, praproo, tantan, chutagi and mok mok. And for people with a sweet tooth, they have khobani halwa, apricot halwa and hot gur chai for tea lovers.

Purvanchal’s Litti chokha is the one-stop destination for the most demanding foodies and so is Gohana’s (Haryana) ‘jaleb’ (jalebi).

An added attraction of the food fiesta is the surfeit of cultural events, comprising folk dances and folk songs (morning and evening sessions) from various states, which are being held.

The idea behind holding a food festival in the city, where people from various states either serve or reside here permanently, was to offer an opportunity to food lovers to tickle their taste buds, says  NZCC Programme Officer Yashwinder Sharma.

On the opening day, folk dances of Himachal Pradesh (Kinnauri natti), Rajasthani folk dances (Kaalbelia and Chari) and Jammu (Dogri dance) were performed.

Prof S P Bansal, Vice Chancellor, Central University, Dharamshala and Vice Chancellor, HP University, Shimla were the Chief Guest, who formally inaugurated the fest by lighting the gas cylinder to prepare ‘halwa’ for distribution among the audience. Prof Prashant Gautam, Director (Sports) PU, Chandigarh, was the guest of honour.

Event: food festival

Place: Kalagram

Timings: 11 am to 10 pm

Date: Nov 31- Dec 9

Contact: 88375-35840

Some old city residents may know it, but the current breed of millennials may not be aware of it. Chandigarh’s main architect Le Corbusier designed Chandigarh in the shape of a human body in the 1950s-60s. Chandigarh’s urban structure is divided into blocks named sectors that follow a grid pattern making Chandigarh one of the best planned cities .

What’s what?

Capitol complex which houses the Vidhan Sabha, Secretariat and the Punjab & Haryana High Court represents the head of the human body from where governance is done – all important policies and decisions regarding the city are formed. The logic behind it is that the brain sits in the head.

One arm is the western side – the institutional zone consisting of PEC, PGI, Panjab University and the eastern side is the other arm consisting of the Industrial Area, phase I, phase II where human resources are utilized.

The Rose Garden in Sector 16, Leisure Valley in Sector 10, Japanese Garden in Sector 31, cricket stadium in Sector 16 and the other green parks and gardens represent the lungs.

The seven types of roads (V-1—V-7) like Madhya Marg, Dakshin Marg, Jan Marg, etc are the veins and arteries of the city, and the vehicles and the people represent the blood flowing in these blood vessels, each house in the sectors is a ‘cell’.

“Sectors 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 have no markets, Sector 37 has a mini market, so the markets were also planned areawise and needwise, that was how planned it was,” says Ajay Jagga, Advocate,  Punjab & Haryana High Court, who has been living in the city for the last 52 years.

In 1951, four years after India’s independence, Le Corbusier was appointed as an architectural adviser by the Indian government. The first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, asked him to create a new city free from the past that would become a symbol of freedom. The open hand which is an emblem of the City Beautiful was a step in that direction.

The satellite towns of Panchkula and Mohali have developed on the periphery of Chandigarh which are bearing the load of infrastructure and overpopulation, although they have come up in violation of the Punjab New Capital (periphery) Control Act, 1952. In the Chandigarh masterplan, a periphery of 10 miles (approx. 16 km) was to be left without any construction on the periphery of Chandigarh on all sides. “During the reorganization of states, 74 pc of the periphery went to Punjab, 21 per cent to Haryana and 3 pc periphery remained with UT Chandigarh,” informs Kapil Setia, Chief Architect, Chandigarh, while speaking with CityWoofer.

“Masterplans of cities and towns are generally not changed and so is the case with Chandigarh. However, certain changes are incorporated from time to time keeping in mind the interest of the people, for example, there is no provision of traffic lights on crossings or roundabouts but we have them. So certain changes have been made, but the important thing is the character of the city has not been changed at all,” says Rajesh Sehgal (retd), Chief  Architect, HUDA.

“With a few improvisations, the sewerage system has also been upgraded as there was much scope for it in the masterplan itself. If you compare water drainage in rainy season, clogging of roads is still relatively lesser in Chandigarh than in Panchkula and Mohali,” he says.

“The design of Mohali and Panchkula has been copied from the Chandigarh plan with similar planning and provisions but the plans are not strictly followed in these places, which makes Chandigarh stand out in spite of being the elder sibling,” he explains.

With time, however, there have been growing concerns over the sustainability of the city in its current format. “The city was planned for a mere 2.5-5 lakh population, now we’ve crossed one million, how long will we be able to sustain its structure we can’t say,” says Jagga. “To put it simply, it’s like you live in a two-room house with a single bathroom and you are asked to adjust 50 people in that house, what will happen?” he rues.

“We have been able to sustain the original character of Chandigarh with the help of the executive and judiciary, otherwise it would have long been lost,” says Setia, offering some solace to Chandigarh veterans.

A 3-day carnival kicked off at the Leisure Valley at the open grounds in front of the Government Museum and Art Gallery,  Sector 10, Chandigarh.

UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit inaugurated the three-day Chandigarh Carnival with much fanfare. Enthusiastic crowds cheered the participants as the carnival was held after a two-year Covid-induced break.

Beautiful, colorful and creative floats made by the students of Government College of Art, Sector 10, gave a convivial atmosphere to the city as these tableaux passed the matka chowk in a procession with the dholis adding a Punjabi flavor to the whole event.

Purohit flagged off the carnival parade wherein horse riders, floats, 75 dholis, took part in the parade.

Punjabi folk singer Harjit Harman performed  at the Leisure Valley on Dec 2 from 6:30 onwards; Jassie Gill and Babbal Rai are performing on Dec 3 with the evergreen Bollywood singer Shaan performing on the last day of the carnival.

Apart from the open ground opposite the Museum & Art Gallery, Sector 10, the celebrations are also being organised in the New Lake in Sector 42, Botanical Garden and Sukhna Lake. A cultural programme was organised at New Lake, Sector 42, where artists performed at the event.

Various artists from northern India are participating in the carnival, apart from artists from Japan, Korea, Bangladesh & Nepal showcasing their talent in an art exhibition.

Chandigarh tourism holds the carnival to attract domestic and international tourist apart from keeping the environment in the city lively and happening. The celebrations provide ample opportunity for visitors and Tricity residents to participate in a variety of events and activities, and also purchase traditional handicrafts from other states.

Special features

Vintage car exhibition

Street plays

Craft exhibition

Food court

Business stalls

Art exhibition

Kite display, kite competition at New Lake, Sec 42, Chandigarh

Tattoo making, sketch making

Cultural performances

Art exhibition by Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi

The Akademi is holding a delightful art exhibition of the works of Tricity artists and paintings of eminent and aspiring artists. To provide a befitting platform to young architects from the Chandigarh College of Architecture, their thought-provoking installations have also been included in this exhibition.

That freshly brewed cuppa coffee is what keeps many of us going on our busy weekdays. The hot beverage is fast becoming one of the most popular drinks among teenagers with exotic and crisp coffee hubs spoiling us for variety. It is no surprise then that coffee corners have become the hub of social activity. Whether it is grabbing a ‘to go’ cup on your way to the office or meeting up with colleagues and friends or even going out on a date, coffee shops have become an integral part of our urban existence. The Tricity in particular has seen a sprouting up of these places in recent times wherein we are definitely spoilt for choice. We bring to you a sector-wise scan of our favourite coffee haunts so that you don’t need to look any further. Here are our picks of the best coffee places in Sector 35, Chandigarh:

1. Roadies KoffeeHouz

Inspired by a popular reality TV show that has become synonymous with Chandigarh, this cafe offers a millennial vibe and can also serve as your workstation for the day. They take their coffee very seriously and in fact their menu has a story behind their coffee selection. They source their coffee from the Venkids Valley Estate located in the beautiful landscape of Coorg. This blend is especially created for Roadies KoffeeHouz and is therefore exclusive to them. Our picks from their coffee selection will be their Roasted Hazelnut Cappuccino and their Brownie Fudge Off Roader.

Price: Approx  Rs 1200 for two

Location: SCO 488, 35C, Sector 35, Chandigarh

Contact: @roadieskoffeehouz.in

2. Cafe Olio

Ever since Cafe Olio opened this year, it has become the talk of the town for its food and ambience which pulls in a lot of young crowd in the Tricity. Well, one thing to look out for in their menu is their iced latte which can give many chains a run for their money. Having the perfect balance, this drink is one of the rare concoctions where the sweetness doesn’t overpower the strong coffee flavour and vice versa. The ratio of milk to coffee is also perfect for those who prefer their cocoa flavour to be strong. So you know what to try out the next time you head over to Cafe Olio.

Price: Approx Rs 1,500 for two

Location: SCO 329 D, Back side, 35B, Chandigarh

Contact: @cafe.olio

3. Third Wave Coffee

One of the most popular chains when it comes to coffee brands is Third Wave. While their selection is enviable, what makes their coffee stand out to us is the fact that you can customize it according to your preference. Their motto is, “coffee has the power to start conversations and build communities” and we wholeheartedly concur. On their menu, do look out for La Vie En Rose and their Sea Salt Mocha.

Price: Approx Rs 800 for two

Location: Hotel Park Inn, 35C, Sector 35, Chandigarh

Contact: @thirdwavecoffeeindia

4. Nik Baker’s

Where there is talk of coffee and cafes, there will always be Nik Baker’s. The iconic homegrown brand has been providing quality cafe food and beverages for a long time, so it comes as no surprise that the chain had to feature on our list with their Sector 35 outlet. Our all time favourite from their coffee menu is the Caramel Mocha which is an espresso shot with frothy milk which is then topped with rich caramel and chocolate sauce, and also their Hazelnut Cappuccino.

Price: Approx Rs 1,000 for two

Location: SCO 441 – 442, 35C, Sector 35, Chandigarh

Contact: @nikbakers_lovestory

5. Cafe Cha’a Brewers

You might have come across this cozy cafe which has the most pocket friendly prices coupled with great Kulhad pizza. However, you might have missed out on the fact that they offer hand-beaten coffee which is poured with a huge dollop of nostalgia on the fringes. Their concoction is not to be missed out on for pure coffee lovers. They also serve Dalgona coffee which is easily one of the best that we have tried so far.

Price: Approx Rs 200 for two

Location: SCO 328A, Himalaya Marg, 35B, Sector 35, Chandigarh

Contact: @cafechaabrewers

Age is just a number, everybody has heard this commonly quoted adage, but we experienced it live at an open mic event for senior citizens held at Chandigarh Sector 17 underpass, an initiative by the Tricity-based Grey Shades organisation. The popular hangout spot was taken by storm by the talented senior members of the Tricity as they poured their hearts out in the one-of-a-kind event.

Taking to the stage exuberantly, many read out their original poems, couplets while many others regaled fellow participants and onlookers with their favourite melodies.

The event brought together these forever-young-at-heart participants who left no stone unturned in making the public event an unforgettable one. Interestingly, many of those who were present had ventured into the now famous sector 17 underpass for the very first time.

Talking about the event with CityWoofer, Inderpreet, founder of Grey Shades, says, “The idea was to bring the elderly back to community life I would say, given the fact that many of those who are present here have come to this place for the first time”. So the intention was to bring people out at the community spaces and help them to connect with each other and have fun.

While some participants came along with family members who cheered them on, others came armed with talent and spirit which was truly inspiring to say the least. The timing of the event had to be extended given the immensely energetic and fulfilling participation. There were many new faces who had made an appearance at the event, apart from the regulars at Grey Shades.