Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday threw open Asia’s largest Tulip Garden for the public, marking the beginning of a new tourism season in the Kashmir valley.
The garden was set up by Ghulam Nabi Azad, the then chief minister of the erstwhile state in 2007 to advance J&K’s tourist season which was earlier limited to the summers and the winters.
Formerly known as Siraj Bagh, the garden was opened to the public as tulips of different colours have started to bloom, Floriculture Department officials said.
The department plants tulip bulbs in a phased manner so that the flowers remain in bloom for a month or more.
This year, the department has added two new varieties of tulips to the garden.
A new colour scheme has been introduced this year, and the total number of varieties of tulips and other flowers has risen to 74.
Other spring flowers including hyacinths, daffodils, muscari and cyclamens are also on display.
About 17 lakh tulip bulbs have been planted in the garden that spreads over 55 hectares, the officials said.
The extension of the garden has reached almost its full capacity, they said.
The garden started on a small scale with 50,000 tulip bulbs imported from The Netherlands. It instantly gained popularity among tourists and has been steadily growing each year, both in terms of the number of visitors and the tulips that bloom.
More than 4.65 lakh visitors, both domestic and foreign, visited the garden last year while the footfall in 2023 was 3.65 lakh.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Minister highlighted the Tulip Show as a celebration of Kashmir’s diverse natural beauty and a key attraction for nature-lovers worldwide.
He emphasized Jammu and Kashmir’s timeless charm and scenic landscapes, inviting tourists to explore its unmatched splendor.
Interacting with visitors, Chief Minister Abdullah welcomed them to the “Paradise on Earth”, encouraging them to cherish and share their experiences of the Tulip Garden in their home countries.
Later, taking to X, the chief minister said he was pleased to inaugurate the scenic Tulip Garden.
“A true spectacle of nature’s beauty, this garden embodies Kashmir’s charm and warmth. I invite everyone to witness this breathtaking bloom and experience the magic of spring in the Valley,” the CM said in a post on X.
“After more than a decade I was back at the Tulip Garden in Srinagar to officially throw it open to visitors. Over the next few weeks thousands of people are expected to visit Asia’s largest tulip garden and enjoy the riot of colour,” Abdullah said.
The inaugural day saw an overwhelming response from tourists and locals alike, who marveled at the mesmerizing floral expanse.
Accompanying the Chief Minister were Minister for Agriculture, Javid Ahmad Dar, Advisor to Chief Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani, and several Members of the Legislative Assembly.
The J&K government is considering adding a few more attractions like tulip gardens to draw large numbers of tourists to the region, said Javed Ahmad Dar, Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development, and Panchayati Raj.
“I hope this year’s tourist season is amazing, and if the number of visitors stays high, people associated with the tourism sector will undoubtedly profit. We constantly aim to surprise visitors with such amazing sights, even if there is no official announcement regarding the possibility of another garden of this type emerging in Kashmir,” the minister told reporters.
‘17.2k tourists visit Tulip Garden on inaugural day’
After throwing the Tulip Garden open for public, CM Abdullah seems enthralled by the colourful flowers. PHOTO: DIPR
