Chandigarh, Dec 9: Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Monday inaugurated the celebrations marking the 100th birth anniversary of Nek Chand, the creator of Chandigarh’s famous Rock Garden.
The week-long event till December 15 will be held at the Rock Garden. The inaugural ceremony began at the Nek Chand Memorial within the Rock Garden, where the lighting of ‘diyas’ and floral tributes to his wax statue set a reverent tone.
Kataria, who is the Chandigarh Administrator, inaugurated a blood donation camp organised by the Rock Garden Society, which saw enthusiastic participation. The Governor applauded Nek Chand’s vision, stating that the Rock Garden exemplifies how discarded items can be reimagined as beautiful sculptures.
He emphasised that all waste material need not be thrown away and made it a thing of beauty. “An extraordinary person has built an extraordinary creation. The Rock Garden is on the visit list of all tourists who visit Chandigarh.”
Nek Chand, whose fantasy garden was pictured on an Indian postage stamp in 1983, developed the art of creating figures from waste material discarded by people and secretly set up his laboratory in a forested area in north Chandigarh.
Waste material like broken bangles, cutlery, chinaware, electrical fittings like switches, plugs and tube lights, marbles, tiles, household junk, stones, building material waste and other things have found their way into art creations by him.
The Governor noted that this sustainable practice not only beautified urban spaces but also inspired future generations to appreciate the potential of recycling and environmental consciousness. He urged residents to embrace Nek Chand’s legacy as a source of inspiration for creativity and sustainability in their lives.
The week-long celebration promises an array of engaging activities for the public. Each evening, visitors can enjoy mesmerizing musical performances at Phase-III of the Rock Garden. A musical chairs program, open to the public, will add a lighthearted and interactive element to the festivities.
Nek Chand died at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research here on June 12, 2015, following cardiac arrest. He was 90.
The most exhibited Indian artist ever with his creations being part of leading cities like Paris, London, New York, Washington and Berlin, Nek Chand also had numerous books in different languages being written about him.
He had also been offered honorary citizenship in various countries. Born on December 15, 1924, and brought up in a village in Gurdaspur under Shakargarh tehsil (now in Pakistan), he migrated to Chandigarh in 1947.
He was a road inspector in a construction project in Chandigarh in the 1950s and 1960s when the “City Beautiful”, was being designed by French architect Le Corbusier.
IANS