Nek Chand

Self-taught artist who built a 25-acre visionary environment from industrial waste

The creator of Chandigarh's Rock Garden, Nek Chand (1924-2015) secretly constructed one of the world's largest outsider art installations over 50 years. As a road inspector in newly built Chandigarh, he began collecting broken ceramics and construction debris in 1957.

His sprawling fantasy landscape features:

• Over 5,000 sculptures made from recycled materials
• Interconnected courtyards and waterfalls
• Hidden chambers spread across 25 acres

When discovered by authorities in 1975, the government recognized its cultural value and protected the site that now attracts 5,000 daily visitors. Chand's work inspired the Raw Vision magazine and became a landmark in recycled art history.