Chandigarh

Chandigarh's a very different place to most in India. Having been designed and built since independence, it has a modern car-friendly block plan, with none of the Raj-era planning which characterises the newer parts of Mumbai, Delhi or Kolkata.

But that wasn't why I came. The amazing Rock Garden, initially built in secret by Nek Chand, and expanded more-or-less continuously since the 70s, is the big draw. A network of passageways, artificial rock walls and walkways, carefully constructed mosaic images, dramatic water features and a vast number of obsessively produced statues characterise this unique work of art. It's a confusing place, intentionally - with no maps nor signs to tell you the way, nor indication of how long the path through it is, nor any suggestion of what you might see next or where to find anything, you are basically left to explore and discover.