Picnic charms & relaxes Tricity residents

CHANDIGARH: Some munchies, hot and cold beverages, a carom board, floor mats and delicious home made food is all it takes for Katarias of Panchkula to enjoy their weekend. Khannas residing in Chandigarh too have given a pass to malls and movies as a picnic in many gardens of the city lures them better.
The 'concrete jungle' and its glitz may have swayed people in other cities but Chandigarh still has a large chunk which prefers the old charm of a picnic with the loved ones.And 'the city beautiful' offers many a venue laced with colourful flowers and their fruity smell, which is the best way to relax for some of its residents.
"These relaxing retreats in and around Chandigarh recharge you for the week ahead. It acts as a stress buster for me and my kids," says Ashok Kataria, a resident of Sector 16, Panchkula. The family shortlists gardens every weekend so as not to repeat one. "We make sure the same picnic spot is not repeated time and again," he said.
While some take pleasure in the greenery around, exploring new places interests others. "Rather than wasting time at a relative's place or running around in the hustle-bustle of busy markets, we plan to visit new places," said Kritika Khanna, who has planned to trek the Morni hills with her family.
"It is not necessary that one needs to spend money. Even when we are low on budget, just a drive and looking around is good enough," adds Kritika.
Unlike the clubs or hotels where one cannot be free to yell or clap out of joy, picnic offers a complete freedom. "In fact, I feel like a child. A picnic lets you spend quality time
with family," says Nisha, a Sector 28, Chandigarh, resident, who plans
most of her picnics with her sister-in-law's family. "Rose garden and Rock garden are our two fixed destinations. On one Sunday, it is Rose garden and on the next, it is Rock garden," she adds.
But, the grandmothers of the city say the weekend picnics in their times were more interactive and full of fun. "We never used to carry cooked food or packed snacks. We used to carry a stove to cook food and that is the real fun of a picnic. We used to have an amazing time when all the women cooked together at a picnic spot," says Usha, 60, while on a picnic with her son Vikram at Sukhna lake on Sunday.