Living my dream in City Beautiful

Like a roller-coaster ride leaves you spinning, so did my first visit to the City Beautiful. “Chandigarh is the capital of Punjab” — that was the only thing I knew about the city when I came here for a school trip. As a 15-year-old, introvert and shy, a small-town girl who barely stepped out of home, this one-day trip with my chirpy friends felt nothing short of a heady roller-coaster ride that left my head spinning for the next two days.

The early morning departure, the three-hour journey, exploring the magic of the Rock Garden, embracing the serenity of Sukhna Lake, admiring the beauty of Pinjore Gardens, and a quick visit to Chhatbir Zoo, this amazing blend left me in a hangover of excitement. For a girl who rarely went out, this trip sparked a dream — of revisiting the city one day.

Years later, this dream came true when I relocated to Chandigarh to pursue my master’s at Panjab University. The City Beautiful called me back, and the past two years have been the most beautiful years of my life. Chandigarh gave me the life I had always longed for.

Muskaan, Phagwara

Punjab