Travel, 27 July

It was short day of travel today, as we went to only three places of interest. We began with a visit to Sector-1 in Chandigarh. It is here that the state Assembly and High Court buildings are located along with the symbol of Chandigarh, the Hand.


The architects of Chandigarh had planned for the Republic Day parade and other large gatherings to be held in this location. As such, a large paved space exists in front of each building – stretching close to a mile between the Assembly and Court buildings. However, the Chandigarh politicians have chosen not to implement this policy. As a result, apart from an open field popular with youth playing cricket, Sector-1 remains atop a hillock, distanced from the rest of the populace and desolate in appearance.


We next visited Manakpur Sharif, a Sufi shrine dating to the 18th century.

The Sufi saint was of some importance as there is a large gate at the entrance of the compound with many other Muslim graves and mosques surrounding the main tomb.

In addition, there is a large water tank with steps in front of the gate. This tank implies that the shrine was an important place of pilgrimage and celebration, water representing cleanliness and life. Reaching the shrine requires a rough drive over a washed out muddy road and flowing stream. In a sense, this shows how history is hidden in the Punjabi countryside.

I’ve visited this place several times over the years and each time the gate has been gifted with new coats of paints and given more attention to the details of its beautiful architecture. For its age, the gate has been immaculately preserved. Many a Bollywood film and Indian music video have used this place as a backdrop.



Along with a visit to the shrine, we walked around the village of Manakpur – situated in the immediate vicinity. The design of the village is similar to most others in Punjab. The narrow streets are cobbled or dirt, with high compound walls on each side. There is a single main street, representing the outer ring of the village, splitting into narrower alleys to reach other homes. Gates open to reveal courtyards, in which buffaloes are tethered, and cots laid out for sleeping, Living quarters surround the courtyards.

There is an open sewerage system with narrow channels lining the sides of the main street, merging into a large canal that empties into a large tank. The tank is full of duckweed, an aquatic plant known to cleanse and add nutrients to water. The economy of the village revolves around agriculture, with plots lying outside of the village. In addition, persons would be employed outside of the village.

Our last visit of the day was to the Pinjore Gardens. These Mughal gardens were designed in the 17th century during the rule of Aurangzeb. Unlike other Mughal gardens, the seven terraces at Pinjore descend instead of ascend into the distance.

It’s a lovely spot spanning many acres and includes an elaborate system of waterways and fountains, orchards of fruit trees, and other plants common to the Indian subcontinent. In addition, there is a Japanese garden, vulture sanctuary, lawns for picnics, and a variety of birds.





Before returning to the hotel, our drivers dropped us off at the McDonald’s. Though we ended up eating somewhere else, I would like to note an interesting tidbit. McDonald’s in India offers four sizes of drinks and French fries: small, medium, large, and Patiala. Patiala, formerly a princely state, is a city in Punjab. Patiala is known for larger things, huge turbans, billowing pyjamas, and the Punjabi peg. It is for the latter that McDonald’s has created a unique size.

As the story goes, the Indian cricket team was to play the better English team. The night before the match the Indians convinced the English that in Patiala people drank a 6oz peg of whisky versus the normal 2-3oz. The next day the Indians easily beat a sluggish and very hung over English team.