India GOButterflies of Chandigarh and the Sector 26 Butterfly Park
Chandigarh has a real butterfly park: seven acres in Sector 26, laid out by the forest department with the plants caterpillars feed on rather than with flowers chosen for looks. Entry is free. The department lists close to ninety species from the park, and two that it lists as abundant in the city, the plain tiger and the common mormon, are worth looking for in any garden. The season runs from March to October.
Plain tiger
Depicted in an ancient Egyptian fresco at Luxor, which makes it one of the first butterflies ever recorded in art; its caterpillar feeds on the madar plant.
Danaus chrysippus
Common mormon
The Sector 26 Butterfly Park was planted with the specific food plants these butterflies need (lime and curry leaf for the common mormon), which is why the park works as a butterfly site rather than just a garden.
Papilio polytes
The Butterfly Park in Sector 26
The park was designed for breeding, not just for viewing. The forest department planted host plants for the caterpillars (mango, willow, citrus, amla, ashoka and camphor among them) and sows nectar flowers by season: dahlias, marigolds, cosmos, zinnias, sweet peas. Rotten fruit is set out around the park, because many butterflies feed on it. Along the nature trail there is a butterfly house (titli ghar), an interpretation centre, boards on host and nectar plants, a small waterfall and an aquatic-plant section; the boards explain the stages from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis, which is why school groups come here with eco clubs.
The department's list for the park runs to close to ninety species, from the blue mormon and the lime butterfly to the chocolate pansy and the common grass yellow, and over a hundred have been photographed here. The park faces the engineering college in Sector 26 and is little known outside the neighbourhood. Hours are on the Butterfly Park page.
Two butterflies to look for anywhere in the city
Both are listed as abundant in Chandigarh by the forest department.
Plain tiger (Danaus chrysippus)
Orange-brown wings about 7–8 cm across, with a black wingtip crossed by a white band. Its caterpillars feed on madar (Calotropis), a milkweed, and the chemicals they take in make the adult distasteful to birds; other butterflies copy its colours for protection. More: plain tiger.
Common mormon (Papilio polytes)
A black swallowtail with a row of white spots across the hindwing, 9–10 cm across. In the Butterfly Park its caterpillars feed on bael and curry leaf, both in the citrus family (Rutaceae), and the species is often seen in gardens and citrus orchards. The females come in several forms, and some copy the red-bodied roses, which birds avoid: a classic Indian example of mimicry, and the reason for the name, a nod to polygamy. More: common mormon.
Other green places worth a slow walk
There is no site-by-site butterfly survey for the rest of the city, so these are places with flowering plants and tree cover rather than promised sightings. More: parks in Chandigarh.
Leisure Valley
The chain of gardens that runs about 8 km through the city, including the Bougainvillea Garden in Sector 3, the Garden of Fragrance and the Hibiscus Garden with some forty varieties in Sector 36. See Leisure Valley.
The Japanese Garden
Still ponds and stepped waterfalls in Sector 31, free and quiet on weekday mornings. See Japanese Garden.
The forest behind Sukhna
Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary begins where the city stops: two gated trails of 9 km each at Nepli and Kansal, by e-permit only. Go at first light in the cooler months. See Sukhna Lake.
How to watch
Come between March and October, and in summer early in the day: in May and June daytime highs average around 37–39 °C. Walk slowly past flowering shrubs and host plants rather than lawns, keep your shadow off the butterfly, and use a camera with a short zoom rather than a phone held close. For birds see birds of Chandigarh; for plants, trees and flowers of Chandigarh.
FAQ
Is there an entry fee for Butterfly Park in Chandigarh?
No, the Sector 26 Butterfly Park is free to enter.
Where is the Butterfly Park in Chandigarh?
In Sector 26, opposite the engineering college. It covers 7 acres and is run by the UT forest department.
When is the best time to see butterflies in Chandigarh?
From March to October. In summer go early, before the midday heat.
How many butterfly species are there in the Butterfly Park?
The forest department's list for the park has close to ninety species, and it says over a hundred have been photographed there.
Is Butterfly Park worth visiting?
If you like nature or are travelling with children, yes: it is free, quiet, and the boards explain the butterfly life cycle. It is a garden of host plants, not a big attraction, so plan it as a short stop.
Sources (4)
- Butterfly Park, Sector 26, and list of butterflies of Chandigarh (Department of Forest & Wildlife, Chandigarh; read via the web.archive.org copy of April 2026)
- Plain tiger, Danaus chrysippus (Wikipedia)
- Common Mormon, Papilio polytes (Wikipedia)
- Butterfly Park and list of butterflies, Department of Forest & Wildlife, Chandigarh (web.archive.org copy, 18 April 2026)
Facts checked: 15 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
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