I come from a small town in Punjab and I am certain very few people would have even heard of it. So my story goes like – I lived in Tarn Taran (around 45 mins from Amritsar) for the first 18 years of my life and then moved to Vellore to study engineering there. After spending 4 years in Vellore, I shifted to Bangalore for a job.

I try to frequently visit my parents back home. So the routine is quite simple and also monotonous. I visit my parents, stuff my mouth with home-cooked food and my not so big, but still, quite a big family comes home to meet me. But this time when I went home, I decided to take my entire family on a vacation. After discussing this idea with my not-so cooperative father who is against me spending a penny when I am home, he reluctantly allowed me to plan this trip, but with a condition that I would not be allowed to drive.

The real pain now was to decide on a place. My father loves mountains and my mother, not a mountain person. So Himachal and Uttarakhand were out of the picture. Now we were left with two more options – Delhi or Chandigarh. So we obviously went ahead with the nearest option, Chandigarh. Chandigarh is nestled near the Shivalik Foothills in northwest India. Often called the City Beautiful or the Garden City, Chandigarh was our best bet for a great family vacation.

With that decided, I looked at the size of my family. Easily 12 smiling faces looking straight into my eyes with the shy hopes of having a great family time in Chandigarh. So I really could not mess this up. After considering various options, I decided to book Savaari’s comfortable and spacious tempo traveller in Chandigarh so all 12 of us could travel together. They offered a great price. And to be honest, I think this was the best decision. All the laughter, all the embarrassing childhood stories, the endless banter of my grumpy father would have got compromised had we traveled in two separate vehicles.

Zakir Hussain Rose Garden

So our first day in Chandigarh started with a trip to Zakir Hussain’s Rose Garden in Sector 16. We loved the winter sun, strolled around, sipped on some tea, munched peanuts and got countless family pictures clicked in front of the gorgeous flower beds. Oh, did you know there is a local ice-cream seller outside the garden with some of the creamiest ice creams to refresh you under the winter sun? We tried mango, Kesar Pista, strawberry and Belgian chocolate.

Gurudwara Koohni Sahib

After the Rose Garden, we decided to stop at Gurudwara Koohni Sahib. The enchanting and soothing hymns with the cool autumn breeze filling up the Gurudwara are easily one of the best highlights of my trip to Chandigarh. We all sat down to cherish a delicious langar. My parents decided to spend some more time in the gurdwara doing sewa. Sewa is a way of thanking God for all the blessings we have in our life. I joined them too. There were too many things to be thankful for, after all!

Sector 17

After our sewa in Gurudwara, it was time for some shopping. One cannot go to Chandigarh and not shop! Not very far from the Gurudwara, we stopped at the busiest shopping center in Chandigarh, Sector 17. I love this place. Even as a child, I remember coming here to buy the coolest toys with my grandfather. After 2 hours and 10 bags full of clothes, we were now finally getting into the holiday grove. From big brands to food joints, kids wear to bridal wear, from Punjabi suits to those stilettos you have been eying on Myntra, this place has it all! This place is a great stop to pick up souvenirs for your loved ones. A pretty souvenir never hurt anyone!

Rock Garden

After relishing a plate of Kadhi Chawal and Pindi Chole at a local dhaba in Sector 17, we decided to make a quick stop at the Rock Garden for my father to enjoy a trip down the memory lane. He studied in Chandigarh and would frequently go to the Rock Garden with his friends. He showed us all the great sculptures, which at first glance are very hard to believe, to have been made of waste. Who would have thought of turning waste into a garden dotted with tastefully crafted sculptures? Nek Chand’s brilliance has so much to offer to a world where recycling is the need of the hour.

Sukhna Lake

What better way to end a family picnic than with some fun boating and stunning sunset! Known as a jogger’s paradise, Sukhna Lake is your best option if you want to truly spend a quiet time with family reminiscing the good ol’ days. The stunning sunset in the background is the cherry on the cake!

With that, our 1 day trip to Chandigarh came to an end. A family trip together was probably much needed for a loner like me who lives away for months on end. Seeing us all together, smiling, eating or just enjoying a view left me with a feeling of contentment that I will cherish in Bangalore. After all, a family that travels together, stays together. My grandparents who live in Mohali decided to call it a day and we got them Savaari’s reliable car on rent in Chandigarh for their safe journey back home.