A Nek Chand tour of Tricity: ‘It was a privilege to know Nek Chand and see him at work’
A Nek Chand tour of Tricity: ‘It was a privilege to know Nek Chand and see him at work’
It took Nek Chand and his team a year to complete the Mini Rock Garden with as many as 27 art works and it is a well-known fact that Nek Chand respected and loved the forces, also having done works for a memorial in Kargil.
Written by Mehr Gill | Chandigarh |
Updated: February 18, 2018 10:17 am
Creator of the Rock Garden, Nek Chand, at Rock Garden in his office. (Source: Express Photo)
INAUGURATED by AOC 12 Wing, AF, on April 25, 2009, the Mini Rock Garden in the front lawn of the Air Force Station here in Chandigarh is a unique gift of Nek Chand as none of the Air Force stations across the country can boast of such a creation. Conceptualised by 126 HF, AF and located in a reserved area of the Air Force Station, it is not accessible to the public.
It took Nek Chand and his team a year to complete the Mini Rock Garden with as many as 27 art works and it is a well-known fact that Nek Chand respected and loved the forces, also having done works for a memorial in Kargil. Colourful tiles in different shapes and mostly in blue, to depict the colour of the Indian Air Force uniform, have been used to make platforms for the works and also beautify the surrounding areas.
The colour has been extensively used on the sculptures as well to resemble the members of the Indian Air Force, as they stand tall and proud, with caps, in attention, as palm trees, the green lawns and other sculptures, signatures of Nek Chand, create an arresting impact, one that many generations, who will be part of the Indian Air Force, will appreciate and cherish.
Nek Chand and his team worked for long hours on the sculptures assisted by his team at his workshop in the Rock Garden. One of the core members of the team at the Air Force Station responsible for the realisation of this dream, Squadron Leader Vishnu Sharma (who also has some personal art works by Nek Chand, as mentioned in this column earlier) recalls how Nek Chand would ask him for photographs and references that he could use to make sculptures related to the Indian Air Force. “Since I am a pilot, I used to travel to the glaciers. I would give him pictures and have long conversations about the journey of the creation of the Rock Garden and how the masterpiece did not require maintenance. For all of us, it was a privilege to know Nek Chand and see him at work.”
Creator of the Rock Garden, Nek Chand, at Rock Garden in his office. (Source: Express Photo)
