City residents and tourists today expressed grief and shock at the death of Nek Chand, creator of the iconic Rock Garden who has amazed people for decades with his unique sculptures made from waste.
"It's a void which can never be filled. Cannot think of Rock Garden without Nek Chand ji," said Amit Talwar, a City resident.
Many tourists like Dimpy Mishra from West Bengal, who visited the Rock Garden, came to know about Chand's demise when they were inside the .
Stephen, a tourist from UK, said he had visited Rock Garden before also, but today despite being at the place he was feeling as if something was missing.
"I learnt about his demise and felt very sad. I still remember his gentle smile, he was very humble and a nice man," he said.
The Chandigarh authorities, who declared a holiday today as a mark of respect to Nek Chand, also allowed free entries for two days to the Rock Garden to the visitors.
Nek Chand's cremation is to take place tomorrow.
His son Anuj Saini, who helped him in maintaining the Rock Garden, was by his side when he passed away at Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research.
"My father was a humble man. He was very fond of listening to radio in his spare time," he said.
Many local residents were of the view his last rites should be performed at the Rock Garden.
The Padma Shri awardee, whose 90th birthday was celebrated by the Chandigarh Administration and the City residents on December 15, had millions of fans across the globe.
