Asia’s largest Tulip Garden opens for public

Our Correspondent

Srinagar, March 23

Hundreds of tourists and locals flocked to Srinagar’s famed Tulip Garden, the largest in Asia, as it opened its gates to the public on Saturday. Ensconced between the Dal Lake and the Zabarwan Hills, the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, earlier known as Siraj Bagh, was opened for the public as tulips of different colours have started to bloom. This year, the garden promises a stunning display of 1.7 million flowers as five new varieties of tulips have been added to the existing 68.

“The tulip garden has been thrown open to the public,” Floriculture department’s Commissioner Secretary Sheikh Fayaz Ahmad said.

The department plants the tulip bulbs in a phased manner so that the flowers remain in the garden for a month or more. “When the garden blooms fully, there will be a rainbow of tulips,” department officials said.

The department has increased the area of the tulip garden by adding another two lakh bulbs. A record 17 lakh tulip bulbs have been planted in the garden spread over 55 hectares, the officials said. Other spring flowers such as hyacinths, daffodils, muscari and cyclamens will also be on display to add to the variety of flowers and colours in the garden, they said.

Many tourists were captivated by the garden’s charm, even though the tulips aren’t fully bloomed yet. “We came from Haryana to visit Kashmir and after hearing about the garden opening we came of visit. Even though the tulips aren’t fully bloomed, the view is stunning,” said a tourist.

Established in 2007 by Ghulam Nabi Azad, the former chief minister, the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden aimed to extend Kashmir’s tourist season beyond just summers and winters. Starting with 50,000 tulip bulbs imported from The Netherlands, the garden has gained popularity over the years and is being visited by locals and outsiders in the large numbers.

Last year, the garden saw over 3,65,000 visitors, with a similar turnout in 2022. The garden serves as a favoured backdrop for filmmakers, attracting numerous film crews from across the country.

This year in an effort to facilitate more visitors, the authorities have added around 22,000 square feet of additional parking space. This expansion aims to ensure smoother access for all visitors.

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