The geography lessons in school and the Bollywood flicks had helped me visualize Punjab in one frame – golden paddy fields, a turbaned Sikh walking on the kucha road and his two naughty kids scrambling towards the horizon.
After many years, when an academic project demanded that I travel to the land of 5 rivers, I was more than just excited. I had the best company at hand- Reenu and Ritu; the concerned parents had given an ALL CLEAR. Ernakulam- Delhi- Amritsar- Chandigarh- Ernakulam.
It was freezing cold when we embarked at the Amritsar railway station. Thanks to reenu’s charming ways (she has got friends in almost every other state and now, maybe even every other country too!) we were lucky to put up at Pritpal’s house. I had always been apprehensive of the Punjabis for their aggressive nature. But here, with aunty taking care us as if we were one of her ‘puttars’, feeding us parathas and the makhan, I couldn’t stop myself from admiring the lovable amiable nature of the Punjabis(unfortunately I had missed it all along).
Amritsar is a very small town with most of the sights falling almost at the same place. Our first visit was to the Jalianwala Bagh , a 10 min walk from Pritpal’s house. Somewhere down the line, the idea of commemorating a tragedy seems to have amalgamated into a mere park. So, more than serving as a memorial, it stands as a silent reminder of one of the greatest tragedies of the freedom struggle. The bullet marks are still preserved, the well which devoured many a life has been modeled as a temple, the monument conceived as a large monolith is devoid of any comprehensible symbolism!
With Ritu, Reenu and Pritpal off to their destination, Aunty was more than happy to show me around the Golden temple. I had already been to a gurudwara in Delhi, and had come to appreciate the Sikh ways of offering their prayers. For the Sikhs, serving human kind equals serving god. So they (irrespective of the rich or the poor) indulge in sewa –service. They are there to look after your footwear, they are there to cook and serve you a meal, they are there to wash your dishes too, all whilst engaged in chanting their prayers. And in case you are inspired and want to be a part of it, you are more than just welcome. Thanks to aunty I did sewa, offered my prayers, fed the golden colored fish in the pool, visited the museum, got a peek into the Sikh’s struggle of valor and pride!
The neighbourhood: Houses are stacked together as row houses encouraging a high degree of socialization. The chats (outdoor terraces) are furnished with charpoys and mattresses for outdoor living during the warm summers. And many a family get together, neighborly chats all happen on these terraces! I too sat there on one afternoon, listening to aunt’s concerns of being in the old age, of visiting Kerala on a holiday, lessons on tailoring Patiala pants and much more….!
Chandigarh
We left the warm cozy atmosphere of Amritsar to reach the rather formal city of Chandigarh. Chandigarh and Le Corbuiser have pursued me ever since I joined the architecture fraternity. So it was more than a treat to see it develop frame by frame, sector by sector!
Chandigarh is paradise for a tourist with an interest in the arts and architecture. Head to the HEAD of the city- the seat of all administrative buildings. The high court has an amazing interplay of colors and shadows, dotted with black cloak clad advocates zooming past the enormous facades. On the way to the legislative assembly, drop by the open hand. The tiny tots have their cricket game here in the evenings. If you are lucky enough to grab the pass on time, a visit to the legislative assembly is worth all the effort it takes! The chamber is modeled on the lines of a discotheque- reds and greens, huge disc like skylights- An employee added- The microphones are so designed that they wouldn’t give away to the tug of wars between the ruling and the opposition. In both these buildings, it was the tapestry and the huge doors that caught me off guard!
The museums around give an insight to the evolution of the city through models, drawings and paintings. There are some interesting exhibits too- sculptures, paintings, draperies. Architecture students may also visit the Chandigarh College of Architecture. Every nook and corner seems to be flooded by students work! Then there is the Nek Chand’s Rock garden. The rocks, the clay pots, the broken bangles, the used sockets- it is amazing how art is born from these seemingly use-less materials.
Sumtotal: The scale is something I am yet to comprehend. There is the horizontality stretching onto miles in the form of sectors. In stark contrast looms high the monumental administrative buildings. The sectors (800m X 1200m) interspersed with parks and other community facilities seem to be empty most of the time. So I really wonder if the design is worth all the praise (as far as planning is concerned)- For a place ceases to be a place without any human activity! With no buzz- this is definitely not the place for the youngsters. Perhaps for a retired old -age couple, this is the best possible place to settle down- no shor sharava, no hulla bulla, just peace and parks for quiet walks.
Afternote:Be it the speedy autorickshaw ride to the Wagah border(to catch the infamous closing ceremony- we missed it by 10 min L), or dropping by a Punjabi wedding (posing as invited guests), or getting our partialas stitched the Patiala way (in spite of running short of time)or roaming around the city of Chandigarh (as far as my legs would carry me), …Punjab did present me with some wonderful memories.
After a gap of almost 2 years, I called up aunty today. With their children married, they are pretty much alone, and are planning on a travel spree! She was just too happy to hear from me, so was I – to hear that word full of love- puttar…. J
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