A Date With Chandigarh

If Chandigarh were a boy I met somewhere...the first impression I would have of him would be of a 'well brought-up' young man. The one who intrigues you and has the ability of making you go weak in the knees!...

No no...I don't say this imagining a tall fair well-dressed rich boy from Chandigarh. (Anyway they are mostly brats!) I say it because I am high on freshness the city emits.

This isn't the first time I met the city but I have very vague memories of it as I was too young. Being just about 250 kms away from Delhi, Chandigarh is an obvious choice for a short weekend get away. But if you are a Delhite you know it isn't an obvious choice because 'there isn't much to explore'. In case, you are not looking to 'explore' too much and just a experience peace and be away from frenzied crowd...trust me this land of Punjab is your best bet! Hailing from a place where while walking on city roads you not only have to save yourself from the snarling traffic but also from spits thrown justeverywhere...Chandigarh is heaven. A bliss. I have never seen a cleaner ISBT. It's the serenity and smell of a clean city that drew me to it.
If you find uncanny similarity between Chandigarh and Gandhinagar in Gujarat... Le Corbusier is the guy to be credited/blamed. He's the one who designed and planned the well-planned cities...and how! No matter how much navigationally-challenged people like me try...it's difficult to get lost. a) It's too small to get lost b) you have sign boards and maps everywhere...just everywhere.
I wouldn't get into the details of roses in the Asia's largest Rose Garden and beautifully arranged rocks in the Rock Garden. Roses and rocks are same everywhere. Yet there is something different about (red,yellow, orange, pink, black, white... all colours possible) roses smiling all around you. There is something about the garden Nek Chand (built with waste bangles, plates, tiles, sinks, ceramic pots..all waste possible!) that leaves you mesmerized. Pinjore Gardens is something that most visitors give a miss. My advice, go meet it during the night. You have not seen a more enchanting garden. At least I haven't! The sight was beyond my expectation. Another thing unexpected was the behaviour of the locals. I did not think, for some reason, auto-wallahs and rickshaw wallahs would be dishonest. I assumed them to have small-town honesty. Little did I know that Chandigarh is not just another small town. It is a rich man's city. All the markets I went to were mini-Connaught Place's flooded with expensive restaurants. So my dreams of having the divine Tandoori Chicken from a roadside hawker went for a toss. But I did manage to have mouth watering butter chicken from local shops in sector 8 and 9.

So like a good date with a young gentleman...I loved my date with Chandigarh. Barring a few disappointments I'd say it makes for a perfect rather than a 'I-had-no-choice' getaway.

The Sky's the Limit

Imagine: Floating high up in the air...hands let loose and looking at the world below from the top. It's a very 'birdie' feeling.

Though para-sailing over water is lot more ecstatic, it is equally adventurous over land. And before you start getting apprehensive with the thought of being suspended in the air…it is important to understand the difference between parasailing and paragliding. To bring some relief to non-impulsive adventurers and be put simply, parasailing is a passive activity while paragliding is an active one where you are required to control the wings and are technically the pilot.

Parasailing, on the other hand is a relatively simpler and equally if not more fun. Parasailing can be terrestrial or an aquatic one, with a jeep usually being used on ground and a motorboat used in water. The sailor is strapped into a harness, which is attached to the parasail and a jeep tows the parasail with approximately 100-metre rope.

All you need to do is take a few swift steps. As the jeep moves forward the parasail gains lift, which makes it ascend. And before you let your fears get better of you...things start looking up! You soon find yourself high above the ground. If you are able to control your fears, the best thing to do is let your arms loose and experience the joy of flying. Trust simple physics rules to stay airborne till the vehicle stops and the air pressure inside the parasail eases off. You have to compose yourself to ensure a safe landing.

If New Zealand or Malaysia come to your mind as you think of parasailing then come closer home. And if you still think of the popular destinations like Goa and Bangalore…then come closer still to the National Capital Region. Kanwarsika just about 35 kms from Gurgaon is your destination for a refreshing adventurous weekend.


While there are a lot of organizers we chose ‘i Rove Adventure Foundation’ for arranging the activity for us. You require a minimum of 10 people in a group for the activity to be arranged. The cost is charged lump sum and not per head but roughly comes to around Rs 450 per head if you are a group of 15 people.


The difference in exotic locales of destinations like New Zealand might perhaps lie in the picturesque view they’d offer. Kanwarsika, on the other hand, has nothing to offer but a huge piece of barren land with nothing else in sight. So when you are up…up and away it is the uplifting experience you completely focus on!




The height at which you go above depends a lot on the length of the rope and wind conditions apart from your body weight. On the day of your activity, check the weather report and avoid weather conditions like rain, fog or an approaching storm—these naturally increase your chances for a parasailing accident.