The Fantasy World of Nek Chand

The Chandigarh Rock Garden, also known as Nek Chand's Rock Garden, is a sculpture garden spread over an area of forty acres, built solely from industrial and home waste materials. It was conceptualized and created by Nek Chand, a government official who started collecting materials from demolished buildings around the city. He spent almost two decades creating this garden. I measured the sculptures and found that they varied in height from just a few inches to over twenty feet. I observed that he used recycled materials such as broken bangles, glasses, ceramic pots, coal, and clay to create sculptures of animals, birds, humans, and even temples. His sculptures are so intricately designed that one can see every minute detail in them. I also studied the geography of the place and found it is located on a slope with waterfalls, bridges, and narrow paths. The garden is divided into three sections: the main area, the lost finds section, and the open-air theatre. The lost finds section was my favourite because it has secluded pathways that connect one section to another filled with art. The open-air theatre is a huge amphitheatre which hosts musical performances. Different kinds of plants and flowers accent the sculptures throughout the garden. I did not find much about the history or information about tours, but this place is an example of how humans can love nature while upcycling waste materials.