Chandigarh: Dust, Drum Machines, and Seriously Hot Air

okay, so chandigarh. it wasn't on the list, honestly. i was supposed to be in goa, chasing some ridiculous beach festival, but my van (bless her rusty soul) decided she’d had enough of coastal highways and staged a full-on rebellion just outside of delhi. long story short, i ended up here, waiting for a mechanic who speaks approximately zero english and seems to operate on a schedule dictated by the phases of the moon.

and it’s…intense. not bad, just…a lot. i’m a touring session drummer, right? i’m used to chaos, to questionable venues, to living out of a bag that smells faintly of stale beer and drumsticks. but this is a different flavor of chaos. it’s organized chaos, meticulously planned chaos, chaos with roundabouts everywhere. seriously, the roundabouts are a statement here.

i just checked and it’s feeling like a furnace right now, hope you’re prepared for that. the weather report said thirty-three point something, but honestly, my thermometer is probably melting. the humidity is low, which is a blessing, but it doesn’t really help when it feels like you’re standing inside a pizza oven.

spent yesterday wandering around sector seventeen, which apparently is the main shopping area. it’s…an experience. think bustling markets, street food that smells amazing (and possibly questionable), and enough people to make times square look like a library. i found a little music shop tucked away down an alleyway and scored a set of tabla drums for next to nothing. the owner, a guy named rajesh, insisted on giving me a lesson. i’m pretty sure i offended his ancestors, but it was fun.

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"apparently, the food stalls near the bus station are legendary, but you need a cast iron stomach. and maybe a tetanus shot."

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that’s what a rickshaw driver told me, anyway. i haven’t braved the bus station yet. i’m still recovering from the sensory overload of sector seventeen. i did, however, try some gol gappe from a street vendor. tiny, crispy balls filled with spiced water and potatoes. delicious, but i’m pretty sure my mouth is still tingling.

my neighbors are…loud. not in a rude way, just…enthusiastic. there’s a wedding happening a few blocks over, and the music has been going since sunrise. it’s actually kind of infectious. i’ve been drumming along on my lap with chopsticks. don’t judge. if you get bored, *himachal pradesh and punjab* are just a short drive away, i overheard someone mention.

someone told me that the rock garden is a must-see, but it’s always packed with tourists. i’m trying to avoid crowds, mostly because i’m pretty sure i haven’t showered in two days. i did check out sukhna lake, though. it’s surprisingly peaceful, a little oasis of calm in the middle of all the madness. you can find more info about it here: Sukhna Lake on TripAdvisor.

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"don’t trust the guys offering ‘special prices’ on souvenirs. they’re ripping you off. and don’t drink the tap water. seriously."

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that was a warning from a fellow traveler i met at a chai stall. she looked like she’d seen things.

finding decent coffee is proving to be a challenge. i’m a bit of a coffee snob, i admit it. i need my fix. i found a place called “indian coffee house” that’s…retro, to say the least. it feels like stepping back in time. the coffee is strong, bitter, and served in tiny cups. it’s not exactly third-wave pour-over, but it does the trick. you can find some local reviews on Yelp.

my mechanic says the van will be ready “soon.” i’m not entirely sure what “soon” means in indian time. i’m starting to think i might be here for a while. which, honestly, isn’t the worst thing. it’s definitely…an adventure. check out this local forum for more info: Chandigarh Forum. And if you're looking for places to eat, this Yelp list is pretty good.

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