A walk down the green lanes

Trees of Chandigarh, a coffee table book, is an endeavour to make learning about Chandigarh’s trees more accessible and delightful

coffee table books, books on trees, chandigarh books, books about chandigarh, chandigarh news

The book took two years to write and has more than 200 coloured pictures taken by Wattas. One chapter deals with seasonal changes occurring in the city trees, including those in full bloom and also the city’s forests and green buffers.

The cover page of the book. (Express Photo)

For those who love Chandigarh’s beautiful paths, roads and boulevards, here’s a book that could be the perfect companion for their green excursions. ‘Trees of Chandigarh’, a coffee table book penned by Rajnish Wattas, Chhatar Singh and Harjit Singh Dhillon, is back on the shelves. Written in 1999, the book is dedicated to Dr M S Randhawa, “who sowed the seeds of beautifying Chandigarh and nurtured its blossoms”.

The book, explains Professor Rajnish Wattas, former principal of the Chandigarh College of Architecture and a noted landscape expert, was in great demand, but had been out of print, and is now back on bookshelves with some changes.

Dr M S Randhawa, says Wattas, wanted the city to be draped in greenery and made landmark efforts to achieve it. “Corbusier loved nature and never saw buildings in isolation, but visualised them as part of landscapes. Flowering trees like Kachnar and Pink Cassia were key elements. The result is a designer city, where you view scenes of landscapes one after the other, like a composition,’’ says Wattas.

This book is also an attempt to spread awareness about the different kinds of trees in Chandigarh. Chhatar Singh, a retired civil servant, did exactly that. He led a massive campaign to revitalise the city’s ecological heritage when he was the Deputy Commissioner here.

The book took two years to write and has more than 200 coloured pictures taken by Wattas.

Beginning with the type of trees that existed at the time of the selection of the city site, the next chapter traces the background of how early tree plantation schemes as suited to various specific areas were evolved. Other chapters describe the manner in which major tree plantation schemes were executed and the situation on the ground today.

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One chapter deals with seasonal changes occurring in the city trees, including those in full bloom and also the city’s forests and green buffers.

“The endeavour has been to make learning about Chandigarh’s trees more accessible and delightful. I believe it’s a wonderful way to appreciate and understand our wealth and environment and spread awareness about the need to preserve and protect our natural resources,’’ smiles Wattas, whose next book is on the gardens of Chandigarh.

Parul

Parul is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express in Chandigarh. She is a seasoned journalist with over 25 years of experience specializing in public health, higher education, and the architectural heritage of Northern India. Professional Profile Education: Graduate in Humanities with a specialized focus on Journalism and Mass Communication from Panjab University, Chandigarh. Career Path: She began her career covering local city beats and human interest stories before joining The Indian Express in 2009. Over the last decade and a half, she has risen to the rank of Principal Correspondent, becoming the publication’s primary voice on Chandigarh’s premier medical and academic institutions. Expertise: Her reporting is deeply rooted in the institutional dynamics of PGIMER (Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research) and Panjab University. She is highly regarded for her ability to navigate complex administrative bureaucracies to deliver student-centric and patient-centric news. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 - 2025) Her recent work highlights critical reporting on healthcare infrastructure, academic governance, and urban culture: 1. Public Health & PGIMER "PGIMER expands digital registry: Centralized patient records to reduce wait times by 40%" (Nov 20, 2025): A detailed look at the digital transformation of one of India's busiest medical institutes to tackle patient influx. "Robotic Surgery at PGI: Why the new urology wing is a game-changer for North India" (Oct 12, 2025): Reporting on the acquisition of state-of-the-art medical technology and its impact on affordable healthcare. "Shortage of life-saving drugs: Inside the supply chain crisis at government pharmacies" (Dec 5, 2025): An investigative piece on the logistical hurdles affecting chronic patients in the tri-city area. 2. Education & Institutional Governance "Panjab University Senate Election: The battle for institutional autonomy" (Dec 18, 2025): In-depth coverage of the high-stakes internal elections and the friction between traditional governance and central reforms. "Research funding dip: How PU’s science departments are navigating the 2025 budget cuts" (Nov 5, 2025): An analysis of the fiscal challenges facing researchers and the impact on India's global academic ranking. 3. Art, Culture & Heritage "Le Corbusier’s legacy in peril: The struggle to preserve Chandigarh’s Capitol Complex" (Dec 22, 2025): A feature on the conservation efforts and the tension between urban modernization and UNESCO heritage status. "Chandigarh Art District: How street murals are reclaiming the city’s grey walls" (Oct 30, 2025): A cultural profile of the local artists transforming the aesthetic of the "City Beautiful." Signature Style Parul is known for her empathetic lens, often centering her stories on the individuals affected by policy—whether it is a student navigating university red tape or a patient seeking care. She possesses a unique ability to translate dense administrative notifications into actionable information for the public. Her long-standing beat experience makes her a trusted source for "inside-track" developments within Chandigarh’s most guarded institutions. X (Twitter): @parul_express ... Read More

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