The Rose Festival

Chandigarh, my home town, has abundant greenery (a rarity in these times) largely due to the fact that its residents like to be close to nature. So even though, Chandigarh is like any other urban city of the world with its high volumes of traffic, tall buildings, and ever increasing population, It has still managed to create and preserve huge chunks of land as gardens and lakes. One of such wonderful delights is the world famous, Zakir Rose Garden. Named after India's former President, Zakir Hussain and created in 1967 under the expert guidance of Dr M.S. Randhawa, Chandigarh's first Chief Commissioner, the garden has the distinction of being Asia's largest. It is spread over sprawling 30 acres of land and is home to 50,000 rose-bushes of 1600 different species. Apart from its wonderful layout and colorful Roses, its popularity has one solid reason, the Annual Rose Festival that takes place in the closing days of February.

The timing is just right as foggy and freezing days make way for a nice warm sunshine ahead of spring. Celebrated mainly as a tribute to the magnificence of Rose itself, the attractions remain food, drinks, joy rides, and contests of varying nature (photography, gardening, landscaping, bonsai, and Rose prince and Princess). The best bit about the contests is that they are all open to the residents or institutions from nearby places. So if an amateur does photography or gardening just for the pleasure of it, this event provides a window to show-case his or her talent. Equally, it also allows professionals from their respective fields to display their prowess in various skills. So if your idea of a weekend excursion is fun, frolic, indulgence, or simply basking in the sun, this is the place to be during this time of the year.Chandigarh has a dubious distinction, among outsiders, of being a dull city devoid of swanky shopping malls, food joints, and especially night-life. I have found this a rather illogical assumption, although I admit that I am myself a laid-back kind of person, not exactly the kind you would call a social animal. So my judgment can be highly misleading in matters such as these. In any case, when events like the Rose festival happen, they not just promise a welcome break to the otherwise hectic routine of the weekdays but also help knocking out the baseless myths related to the City Beautiful. Flocks of families make their presence count, get dressed in the brightest attires, and set out to enjoy the sun and the festivities. And since no festivity is ever complete without lots of food and drink, you can be assured of the best Punjabi cuisine to satisfy your gastronomic senses.

In these times, when growing population is exerting an undue pressure on the earth and its resources, such festivals go a long way in making people aware of preserving green belts. I have fond memories of the garden dating back nearly two decades, when I used to frequent it along with family and friends, either for small family picnics or this annual extravaganza. Although its beauty and green cover has certainly taken some beating in all these years but yet it has retained its charm, thanks to the administration that has focused a lot on maintaining it as a peaceful sojourn for the weary travelers, love-struck couples, morning joggers, and children alike.

It is our duty to ensure that its beauty and tranquility is preserved so that future generations can also partake in its beauty and serenity.