Chandigarh

It is a Union Territory, but also the capital of the Indian states of Punjab and Haryana. Chandigarh owes its name to the goddess Chandi Devi, whose temple is situated in the foothills near the city.

Chandigarh is the first 'planned' city of India designed by the French architect Le Corbusier. The city site was selected in 1948 after a careful survey, including an aerial reconnaissance. Le Corbusier retained the eroded valley of a seasonal rivulet on the original site of the city and sculpted it into a linear park, now over 8 kilometers long, running through the whole of Chandigarh. The city has neatly laid out roads and parks, and wide boulevards lined by endless rows of trees. Most of the buildings are closely spaced and laid out in continuous rows called as 'terrace housing'. Only industries powered by electricity are permitted so that atmospheric pollution is minimized.