Chandigarh: A city of memories and belonging

I have lived in Chandigarh since 1966, having moved there as an infant. My entire education and professional career unfolded in this tranquil city. Life was simpler then—no television, no modern distractions, just the joy of outdoor activities. I remember walking with my mother to a nearby village to fetch fresh cow’s milk. After school, I played in the neighbourhood until my mother called me home for dinner.

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By eighth grade, I began cycling to school. Traffic was minimal, and the route was lined with tamarind trees—we would pluck the fruit during the season, savouring its tangy taste. Chandigarh was lush and green, and life moved at an unhurried pace. I cherish those memories and the deep sense of belonging the city instilled in us.

One particularly fierce hailstorm turned the roads and verandahs white, a rare spectacle that remains vivid in my mind. Sunny winter afternoons were spent outdoors, my mother knitting in the park while we played. Cold water baths were the norm, and morning walks to Sector 16 stadium, with laps around the cricket ground, were routine. In Leisure Valley Park and outside the stadium, one could just pluck and eat jamun trees freely—until the administration leased them to wholesalers.

I relocated to Toronto 25 years back, yet Chandigarh remains ever-present in my thoughts. My parents live in there. The deep-rooted sense of love and achievement that City Beautiful gave me endures to this day.

Piyush Aggarwal, Toronto