History of Chandigarh

Corbusier boating at Sukhna Lake/ Image Source

Chandigarh came into being thanks to the need of a new capital city to serve as the capital of the state of Punjab. The partition of Punjab, as a corollary to the partition of British India into the two nations of India and Pakistan in 1947, resulted in the incorporation of Lahore in Pakistan. As no other city was considered to be fit for being the capital of Punjab, the idea of building a new city gained ground.

Chandigarh, literally meaning "the fort of Chandi", is named after Chandi Mandir, a temple of goddess Chandi, situated in the Panchkula District of the state of Haryana. The famous French architect and urban planner, Le Corbusier, was entrusted with the task of designing the city.

Today Chandigarh is a union territory serving as the capital of Punjab and Haryana which was created carving out of the eastern portion of Punjab state.

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