CELEBRATION: 100 Year Anniversary of Nek Chand

December 9 – 15, 2024

Uttar Marg, Sector 1, Chandigarh, 160001, India

This week, December 15th marked the birthday of Nek Chand, celebrated in Chandigarh as Nek Chand Day. This year, special events will take place at the Rock Garden to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth. The celebrations honor one of India’s greatest artists and the creator of the world’s largest visionary environment, featuring over 2,000 sculptures across 25 acres of walkways, mosaic-covered chambers, and waterfalls. While the Rock Garden welcomes thousands of visitors daily, Sunday’s event will be a particularly significant tribute to Nek Chand on this milestone occasion.

The inaugural ceremony began at the Nek Chand Memorial with the lighting of diyas and floral tributes to the wax statue of Nek Chand. Kataria also inaugurated a blood donation camp organised by the society. Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria said the Rock Garden exemplified how discarded items could be reimagined as beautiful sculptures, emphasising, “All waste material need not be thrown away, make it a thing of beauty”.

“An extraordinary person has built an extraordinary creation. The Rock Garden is on the check list of all tourists who visit Chandigarh. Padma Shri awarded to Nek Chand in 1984 sends an example that a resolute person can achieve even the impossible,” he added. The vibrant musical performances and traditional acts by artists such as “bazigars,” “nachars,” “been-jogis,” “behrupias,” and “nagada” players from across the country create a fitting tribute to this cultural landmark.