Sukhna Lake is an artificial lake in Chandigarh (India). It is one of the key urban landscaping highlights of the planned city designed by iconic french Architect & Urban Planner Le Corbusier. I visited Sukhna lake recently during my stopover at Chandigarh (on my way to Kasauli for family holiday) and quite liked the time I spent with my family there.
I, along with my family visited the lake in the evening hours, when it was bustling with people. It seemed that all of Chandigarh had come down to the lake as I could see lots of families, groups of young people and elderly people in the crowd.
At the entrance of the lake complex, there were some rides for children, shops selling ice creams & balloons and sketch artists’ stalls.
Le Corbusier,when designing this artifical lake, wanted that the residents of the city would be drawn towards it for the ‘care of the body and spirit’. As per the official website of Chandigarh city “ The 3 sq km rainfed lake was created in 1958 by damming the Sukhna Choe, a seasonal stream coming down from the Shivalik Hills. Originally the seasonal flow entered the lake directly causing heavy siltation. To check the inflow of silt, land measuring 2542 hectares was acquired in the catchments area and put under vegetation.”
When we went, it was cloudy & breezy and we had a lovely time walking with our baby in the pram on the sidewalk. There were lots of people, who sat by the lake edge and enjoyed the breeze. Some people preferred to get clicked by their friends, while some people enjoyed boating in the lake. It was fun to see people enjoying out in the open.
While Sukhna Lake is not excetional in terms of landscaping, it certainly is one of the best features of planned city of Chandigarh and Le Corbusier has gifted a wonderful thing to its residents. If you are in Chandigarh and need to spend some free time, do make a visit to this lake; I am sure you will have a much better time here than at any Shopping Mall.
I managed to miss it every time! After reading your account I will make sure I go the next time.
I have spent lot of time around Sukhna Lake with my college friends 🙂 … During our 6 months training, we used to stay near to the lake and it was a good motivation for us to get up early in the morning and go for a walk.
hey was there 2 weeks back on our way to shimla 🙂 lovely place …
Love the open space and seeing people enjoying too. I love me lake time anywhere. It's just so summery and monsoon-y.
Have lots of unforgettable memories of getting lost on the lake as I paddled the boat when everything else vanished from sight:)
I've visited Sukhna lake twice. The first time I was there, it was gorgeous– it was early in the morning and the mist was hugging the lake. It was a January morning so there weren't many people out there too.
The second time I was there it was in the middle of the day and it was September. 🙂
I'd love to spend another morning there.
I hope you are doing well, Sush.
It's large for an artificial lake. There are many equipment ashore,so it looks fun.
Have a nice day!
Good photos and nice narrative!
I have been to kasauli but missed visit to Sukhna lake…have read so much about it. Nice post.
You were in MY CITY.. wowo.. reminded me of the days , when i would go for a run early morning .. from home till the end of the lake the Dam…
It is beautiful place…
brought memoriessssssssss ..
so what else did you see in chandigarh …
Bikram's
Looks wonderful. Nice post on the lake.
You have described Sukhna lake so nicely!! It is certainly lifeline of the city. I am in Chandigarh these days for my days and love spending time here 🙂
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