Chandigarh: Nek Chand Saini, the creator of the iconic Rock Garden, died at a hospital following a cardiac arrest. The 90 year old architectural autodidact was admitted to the hospital for the past few days after which he was shifted to PGIMER where he breathed his last. The Chandigarh administration remained closed for a day as a mark of respect for the departed soul.
His death came days before his 40 figurative mosaic sculptures were to be put on display for the first time in the UK Pallant House Gallery in the charming setting of historic Chichester (West Sussex) from June 13 to October 25. The works were on loan from the Nek Chand Foundation in London.
The Padma Shri awardee, whose 90th birthday was celebrated by the Chandigarh administration and the residents, had millions of fans across the globe. As the roads inspector of the public works department in Punjab, he had quietly built the garden after clearing a little patch of forest near the Sukhna lake. Waste like broken crockery, electrical fittings, glass bangles, bathroom tiles, wash basins and bicycle frames were used to make mosaic sculptures of men, women and gods.
The Rock Garden, inaugurated in 1976, is now spread over an area of 40 acres and more than 250,000 people from India and abroad visit it every year with the annual revenue generated from ticket sales around Rs 18 million. Nek Chand’s unique art has also been showcased in museums abroad, including at the National Children’s Museum in Washington.
Nek Chand’s son Anuj Saini, who helped him in maintaining the Rock Garden, was by his side when he passed away at the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research.
