India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (330 page)

Known as a garden city, Chandigarh prides itself on having the largest
Rose Garden
in Asia (it’s in Sector 16, but a real let-down) Chandigarh’s real highlight—and in fact reason enough to make a detour to the city—is the breathtakingly alternative
Rock Garden of Nek Chand
(Sector 1, adjacent the Capitol Complex; Rs 10 adults; 9am–6pm), a surreal fantasyland created by “outsider artist” Nek Chand—a former road inspector—from rocks, concrete, and urban rubbish. Set on 8 hectares (20 acres) of wooded landscape, the “garden” comprises a series of mazelike archways, tunnels, pavilions, waterfalls, and bridges, with passages leading from one open-air gallery to another. Each gallery is occupied by unusual characters, figures, and creatures fashioned from an unbelievable array of materials Chand started collecting in 1958; almost half a century later, the garden continues to grow. Unfortunately, the garden’s fame has grown exponentially, too, so it’s advisable to arrive early in order to avoid the crowds that descend, especially on weekends.

Chandigarh can be visited en route between Amritsar and Shimla, or directly from Delhi by train. The best connections between Delhi and Chandigarh are several daily Shatabdi Express trains or the Himalayan Queen. From Amritsar, choose the Paschim Express, a section of which also links Chandigarh with Kalka, starting point for the “toy train” to Shimla, a slow but memorable way of getting to the famed Raj-era hill station. The
railway station
(
0172/270-8573,
0172/264-1651, 131, or 132)
is in Sector 17, around 8km (5 miles) from the city center. For railway inquiries, call the
city reservation center
(
0172/270-8573;
Mon–Sat 8am–8pm, Sun 8am–2pm). There are also daily flights from the capital; the airport is 12km (7 1⁄2 miles) from the city.
Chandigarh Tourism
(
0172/270-3839
) has offices at the airport and at the railway station.

Unless you’re hell-bent on racing on to your nest destination, there’s no reason not to book into the
Taj Chandigarh
(Block No. 9, Sector 17-A;
0172/661-3000;
www.tajhotels.com
), which is the city’s smartest hotel by a long stretch. Although it’s geared towards business folk (not to mention numerous VIPs and politicos in town on “official” business), there’s a fine pool and plush rooms to come home to after trying to make sense of Le Corbusier’s vision. Doubles cost Rs 11,000, but you should be able to score a “rate of the day” deal; at the same time, book a table for dinner at
Black Lotus
,
the in-house Chinese restaurant. If you’d prefer Indian food, ask the concierge to point you in the direction of
Pal Dhaba
—famous for its mutton—in Section 28; alternatively, head to
Swagath,
which is particularly good with seafood.

3 Shimla

107km (66 miles) NE of Chandigarh; 360km (223 miles) N of Delhi

In the days when Shimla inspired scenes from Rudyard Kipling’s
Kim,
it was a popular pickup center for lusty British officers and flirtatious maidens keen to create a stir among the scandalmongers who gathered along The Mall during the summers. Shimla enjoys a proud history as the preferred mountain escape retreat from the unbearable summer heat of the plains (or “downstairs,” as many Himachalis refer to their low-altitude neighbors)—a cool spot in which to sink into a life of idle gossip, romantic conquests, and military brown-nosing. Today, this romantic image has been somewhat ruined by unchecked urbanization and reckless construction. Development has now been curbed, but the clogged roads and ugly concrete tenements that cling to the mountainsides beneath Shimla detract significantly from the town’s former glory.

Sprawling over seven hills fringed by dense forest and magnificent mountains, Shimla is a useful starting point from which to explore more untouched parts of Himachal, and the town’s timbered cottages and wood-gabled buildings retain a degree of charm, but if you’re expecting a quiet hill station, you may be disappointed. The Mall, a promenade on the southern slopes of the ridge, remains a pedestrian preserve, thronged by tourists and local Anglophiles who tend to echo the social mannerisms of the Raj at its most British. Below the ridge, however, an overwhelmingly Indian conglomeration of buildings constitutes the bazaar, and a sweep of modern dwellings has the distinctly untidy appearance of unplanned urban sprawl. Shimla is, however, in close proximity to a number of lesser-known hill resort getaways: Naldehra, Narkanda, Kufri, Mashobra, and Chadwick Falls are all destinations offering relative peace and quiet as well as scenic splendor guaranteed to capture your imagination. And for those seeking adventure and remote beauty, Shimla is a useful confluence of roads leading west to the Kangra Valley; north to Kullu, Lahaul, and Ladakh; and east into the valleys of Kinnaur and Spiti.

ESSENTIALS

GETTING THERE & AWAY
By Road
All of the more reputable hotels (see “Where to Stay & Dine,” below) will arrange transfers from practically any starting point in India, should you wish to arrive in chauffeured style. From Delhi, you’ll take National Highway 1 (Grand Trunk Rd.) north to Ambala (in Haryana) and then continue on a fierce and beautiful journey along a hillside road that snakes all the way up to Shimla. You can also drive directly from Chandigarh, following National Highway 21 south until you join the main Delhi-Shimla road.

By Air
Daily flights connect Shimla with Delhi (1 hr.); try Kingfisher for the best service and price. Weather can interfere with flights in and out of Shimla’s
Jubbar Hatti Airport,
23km (14 miles) from the city (taxi into town around Rs 650). Some flights also continue on to Kullu’s
Bhuntar Airport,
which serves northern Himachal Pradesh.

By Train
The most romantic way to get to Shimla, the
Himalayan Queen
runs from New Delhi to Kalka (640m/2,099 ft. above sea level), where the train switches to a narrow-gauge track and continues on to Shimla (2,060m/6,757 ft.). Traveling at an average speed of 25 to 30kmph (15–19 mph), the “toy train” journey will consume nearly a full day of your itinerary. It’s 96km (60 miles) of travel through some 100 tunnels, numerous bridges, and sharp curves, taking in picturesque views of green forests and meadows, capsicum fields, and red-roofed chalets; the historic train was given UNESCO World Heritage status in 2008. The train back to Kalka departs Shimla at 10:35am, arriving in time for you to make the onward connection to Delhi, where you’ll arrive before midnight. Check out
www.indianrail.gov.in
( for more information).
Note:
During the high season (May–June, Dec/Jan), it’s difficult to secure tickets without at least several days’ advance booking, so do so through the Internet or an agency.