What a broken bangle got to do with a sculpture and a thrown-away earthenware with an artwork? Read below how creativity finds expression in wasted items and creates awareness for illuminating the world.
The industrial waste and thrown-away items may not catch the fancy of many, but there are people who envision them as a prospect to strike the light of awareness. Meet Mr. Nek Chand, the visionary behind the famous Rock Garden of Chandigarh. It all started with his dream to do something different and ended with the creation of an incredible creative work which now sees footfall of thousands of people a day.
The idea to build a creative world with wasted items came in his mind in a jungle owned by the government authorities. It was not going to be an easy job to convince the government that a jungle can be turned into a garden. Add to this, collecting the recycle items and using them for the construction was another major issue. But Mr. Nek Chand was firm in his decision. He kept the mission secret, collected regular waste from all over the city and started working in the nights. But his efforts were not to get praised easily. The government authorities discovered it and then sparked a debate of ‘whether to demolish it or let it intact’. After having a wholesome public opinion on his side, the garden was saved. The park was opened for public in 1976 and Mr. Nek Chand was appointed as its Sub-Divisional Engineer with a staff of 50 labourers under him. His work appeared in the stamp in 1983 and his noble deed earned him Padma Shri in 1984.
Located at Sector 1, near Sukhna Lake, the garden leaves one in wonder with man-made waterfalls and sculptures made of wasted items like broken bangles, tiles, crashed bottles, glass, drums, metal wires, earthenware, handle bars, play marbles etc. There are hundreds of skillfully crafted human and animal figures representing a unique world of art soaked in creativity which is watched by over five thousand visitors a day. The garden is spread over forty acres of land and is perhaps one of the best examples of creativity found in the modern world.