The Le Corbusier Center tells the modern history of the city of Chandigarh. Chandigarh is the only city in India that was already planned as a modern capital.
The city was built based on the visions of Le Corbusier, the first Prime Minister of India and a scholar of French architecture.
It is built according to the human body, where government offices are located in place of the head, bazaars at the heart,
green gardens at the place of the lungs, and industrial areas instead of hands and feet, and in the middle of these, There are crossroads running in the form of arteries and veins.
Every road in this city goes only straight, no curve, no curve and even if any mode is found, it is either in the shape of a right angle or in the shape of an acute angle.
The city is divided into rectangular sections which are then divided into 4 equal parts. Each part is sufficient in itself, with its own markets and schools. Observed closely, the city represents a group of diverse independent units residing together in a sense of harmony.
Le Corbusier Center – Chandigarh City
The building that once housed Le Corbusier’s office has now been converted into a heritage centre, dedicated to him and his creation – Chandigarh.
There I was told that a few years back the Chandigarh Administration had issued a special search by which all available heritage documents and furnishings were being organized for this center.
The Le Corbusier Center has now become a major center of the heritage associated with the city and its builder.
Here the life and times of Le Corbusier are documented. Under this process, the construction process of this city has also been documented.
Incidentally, there is a beautiful picture here that shows how the city is actually a replica of the cities of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, where the construction plan was similarly rectangular in volume.
During the construction of this city, it is clear from the excavations found here that this area used to be part of the Indus Valley Civilization in ancient times.
In fact, Le Corbusier, along with building a modern city, was also following an ancient city once inhabited on this land. Some of the artifacts obtained by excavation from here can be seen in the city museum.
The meeting room of the Le Corbusier Center
This meeting room is a typical Chandigarh-style building that is brown in color. The walls of the corridors here are now adorned with paintings by Le Corbusier, along with his famous quotes on architecture.
All these things, somewhere, lead you to the thoughts going on in his mind while making the outline of the city. His meeting room where he met Nehru has also been preserved as such.
There are still the same chairs made of wood and leather as those used by Le Corbusier, between which stands a large wooden table.
The old and new pictures of this city and its rough description are now seen enhancing the beauty of the walls here.
There are also Navarra cots and wooden tables used by this architect, as well as a large sample of a rich map of the city.
heritage furnishings
Seeing the wooden chairs placed at the Le Corbusier Center, I remembered my own chair in the Punjab University hostel which looked exactly like this.
Later the tourism officer accompanying me told me that these items of upholstery have been procured from there.
As I went further I saw a chair I had gotten from our Department of Physics, which I had probably sat on, but then I had no idea that the chair would one day become part of the city’s heritage.
Later, when I took a short tour of the university library, I found out that all the wooden chairs there had been replaced with ghastly-looking plastic ones.
Seeing all this, strange feelings began to arise in my mind, on the one hand, I was glad that I had ever used these items related to heritage, on the other hand, I felt pity at the present condition of the library furnishings.
Images and maps displayed in the center
In the paintings displayed at the Le Corbusier Center, you can see Corbusier in various moods, such as a photo of him being absorbed in the work, a picture of him with his idol, and a photo of him enjoying boating in the lake and meeting honorable guests. The picture was taken at the time.
I was completely unaware that the faces of the drains of this city have a map of it. For me, it was completely new and surprising.
You can see this map in many places located in the center, including the souvenir shop here. Here various letters were put on display, which you need a lot of time to read.
I found the handwriting of those people describing their times more attractive than the content of these letters. A collection of satirical paintings related to Chandigarh and its architecture is also displayed here which is very interesting.
The various shapes represented by the architectural drawings and hand drawings displayed at the Le Corbusier center show the affection and pride of these people for the city.
Having grown up in Chandigarh, I must say that every person here takes great pride in this city full of unique characteristics. But above all, he is proud of the fact that his city is the cleanest and greenest city in India.
Tourists of Le Corbusier Center
The Le Corbusier center attracts more French tourists than locals or Indian tourists. I think there is a need for a guide who knows deeply about the history, heritage,
and architecture of this city and its architect and who is able to share his knowledge carefully with the people who come here so that May the visitor’s experience be unforgettable.
I have never seen a place in any other city in India that has documented its history so well.
