Chandigarh needs a cultural policy
hen I first came to Chandigarh, it offered a barren landscape in terms of art and culture. It was a city of straight lines—well planned and superbly executed architecture. A place that offered all the model facilities such as excellent roads, street lighting and ample greenery. I was born in Noormahal in Jalandhar in 1947 and soon shifted to Patiala. It was from Patiala that my family migrated here 56 years ago. I have seen Chandigarh grow in all its manifestations. When we came, there was no place for performing arts or other cultural activities. Such activities were very low even at the school level. Everything has changed now. Culture is thriving and the city is developing a unique character of its own.
Many people called Chandigarh soul-less back then. But the city has now silenced all its critics. The credit for this goes entirely to the varied mix of people from across the country who have made this place their home. Let’s not forget that a culture of the city is made by its people. There are many reasons why I love this city, intimacy being one of them. The city may have a very cosmopolitan culture but it is rooted like a small town. It has taught me everything, given me everything, and not just in the material sense of the word. The quiet here gave me scope to immerse myself in my art.
In the last few decades, Chandigarh has excelled on all fronts, be it entrepreneurship, business or arts. Experts from different places have made the city their home and the scope for intellectual growth is immense here. Of course, this does not mean that the city does not have some negative aspects. I hate the VIP culture here, which is pre-dominant because of the large number of bureaucrats, and the fact that it is the capital of two states. The administration is also slow when it comes to infrastructure development for art and culture. There is just the Tagore Theatre for performing arts that was established in the ‘60s. Why do we forget the fact that the population has increased manifold? The lack of a cultural policy is definitely taking its toll. It is very important that the same be formulated at the earliest, both at the national as well as the state level.
The writer is Sangeet Natak award-winning actor and theatre musician.
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