Chandigarh is a lovely city in
India that couples up as a union territory which serves as the capital of both Punjab and Haryana States. Chandigarh is neither part of Punjab, nor is it part of Haryana - it is under the governance of the Union Government. Chandigarh is conveniently bordered by both Haryana and Punjab states to the East, and the north, south, and west respectively.
This intriguing city is home to the oldest and yet most magical architectural designs, most of which were done by the renowned Le Corbusier, Albert Mayer, and Maciej Nowicki. An example of the buildings is the iconic Capitol Complex that houses the High Court building, the Secretariat, as well as the Legislative Assembly house.
Outdoors in Chandigarh can be lovely, with the numerous natural and planted gardens that couple up as family fun spots. These include the ever-scenic Rock Garden and the sprawling Zakir Hussain Rose Garden. Multiple museums and memorial places take visitors through the history of Chandigarh, including the Chandigarh War Memorial spot where all the soldiers that have passed on since 1947 have been enlisted.
The city of Chandigarh experiences a humid subtropical climate, otherwise classified as Cwa in the Köppen climatic classification. The weather is generally characteristic of significant variations in temperature readings, sweltering and humid summers, mild and tolerable winters, and very unreliable rainfall. Partly, this weather is influenced by the proximity of Chandigarh to the Mediterranean Sea.
The monsoon season starts in
July and ends in
September, and Chandigarh experiences the monsoon winds that dominate the season. Along with the winds, Chandigarh receives heavy rainfall, especially in July and
August, when the average precipitation reaches 295.6mm (11.6") across approximately twelve rainfall days.
Summer is extremely hot, with the temperature during the day falling between 31.3°C (88.3°F) and 39.1°C (102.4°F). These temperature recordings, plus up to ten hours of sunshine, makes the days feel incredibly scorching. The extended daylight hours make it very easy to tour the city late into the night when the temperature ranges between 23°C (73.4°F) and 25°C (77°F).
Winter is mild and pleasant, with a general daily mean temperature reading of between 7.5°C (45.5°F) during the nights and 24.3°C (75.7°F) during the days. The nights may feel colder because of the breezes blowing through, but the days get better with up to five hours of warm sunshine.
Spring is mild, but occasionally has hot days where the temperature reaches 29.1°C (84.4°F) or slightly more. But the days remain dry and generally pleasant. Autumn is also mild, and it comes with a reduction in the summer scorch and increased enjoyable days.
The most popular times to visit Chandigarh are in
December and between
May and July. This period falls in the early summer and early winter when the weather is mildly warm and lovely and devoid of the extreme summer heat. This period also falls short of the heavy monsoon rains that fall towards the end of summer, hence an excellent time to tour the city without much interference.
Some of the key events in Chandigarh include the beautiful and colorful
February Rose Festival, the
June Mango Festival with stunning mango tasting and eating competitions, and the famous Chandigarh Carnival Fest in
November that is held amid colorful floats and amusement parties.