The capital city of the two Indian states of
Punjab and
Haryana. It is a
planned city, having been designed by the architect
Le Corbusier and assistants on commission from
Nehru. It has a little under a million people.
Built in 1952 as capital of the state of Punjab, it was declared a separate union territory on 1 November 1966 when the state of Haryana was split off from Punjab on ethnic lines. It has since served as capital of both states, being on the border between them, and of the small urban territory containing itself. Since 1984 the governors of Punjab have usually served also as governors of Chandigarh, and because it is largely ethnically Punjabi, there is strong pressure to incorporate it again within that state.
The name comes from a goddess Shri Chandika. Its symbol is an open hand: Le Corbusier designed a giant open hand of metal that swings freely on a pedestal, and is the most striking landmark of the city.
www.chandigarhcity.com/atoz/
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