Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday invited tourists and locals to visit the Chrysanthemum Garden here and make lasting memories as the garden opened for the second consecutive year.
Omar Abdullah today opened the Chrysanthemum Show 2026 at the Botanical Garden, Chashma Shahi, Srinagar, and the Chrysanthemum Theme Garden, popularly known as Bagh-e-Gul-Dawood, for the public, marking another step towards extending Kashmir’s tourism season and establishing autumn as an equally attractive time to visit the Valley, an official press release informed.
Titled ‘Enriching Autumn with New Colours’, the show showcases the beauty of chrysanthemums through an impressive display of 3.5 lakh locally produced plants representing more than 70 varieties and featuring nearly 12 million blossoms.
Spread over 100 kanals, the theme garden has been developed by the Department of Floriculture, Parks and Gardens as a major autumn attraction, adding vibrant shades of yellow, red, pink and purple to Kashmir’s landscape, the press release said.
It said the garden has been upgraded this year with more area brought under flower beds, colourful floral displays, water features, selfie-points and modern visitor amenities, offering visitors an enhanced experience amid the natural beauty of mountains overlooking the theme garden.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said Bagh-e-Gul-Dawood was introduced last year with the objective of creating distinctive floral attractions to mark the beginning of every new season in Kashmir.
“This is the second year of bloom at Bagh-e-Gul-Dawood in Srinagar. This garden was started last year, and the purpose was to mark the beginning of our tourism season and to mark the end of the year in Srinagar. Both these gardens are special and unique to Srinagar,” he said.
The chief minister observed that while the Tulip Garden attracts large numbers of visitors at the beginning of the year, there had previously been no comparable attraction to draw tourists during the autumn months.
“We have been trying to increase our tourism season. You must have seen that many people visit the Tulip Garden at the beginning of the year. But during the autumn season, we have tried to add something special to show to people. That is why this Chrysanthemum Garden has been developed by the Department of Floriculture,” he said.
Appreciating the improvements made since last year, Omar Abdullah said he had personally observed the difference in the garden’s development and expressed confidence that it would continue to evolve as a distinctive attraction.
“I have seen the difference between last year and this year. We will continue to develop it in the same way,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of local production and sustainable development, the chief minister noted that, unlike the Tulip Garden, which requires bulbs sourced from outside the country, the chrysanthemum garden relies on locally produced plant material that can be propagated and multiplied within Jammu and Kashmir.
“One big advantage of this garden is that the bulk of the plant material is indigenous and some quantity of bulbs is procured from outside the country to keep it running. Much of the plant material of this garden is our own. We propagate it and multiply it. We will try to do something new in this garden every year,” he said.
The chief minister said the garden would be further developed in the coming years, with new features and attractions introduced annually to sustain public interest and enhance its appeal to visitors.
Inviting people from Srinagar, adjoining areas and across Jammu and Kashmir to visit the garden, he said the floral display offered an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of autumn and preserve the experience through photographs.
“On this occasion, I would like to invite the visitors and local people to come and take advantage of the beauty of this garden. Take some pictures and take them back as a souvenir,” he said.
The initiative reflects the government’s efforts to diversify Kashmir’s tourism offerings beyond the spring tulip season and create more reasons for tourists to visit the Valley during autumn. With its extensive floral displays, landscaped beds and visitor-friendly facilities, Bagh-e-Gul-Dawood is envisioned as a signature seasonal attraction that will add a new dimension to Srinagar’s tourism landscape.
The development of the garden also highlights the potential of local floriculture in creating distinctive tourism experiences while promoting the propagation of locally produced plants.
The chief minister was accompanied by Minister for Agriculture Production Javid Ahmed Dar, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA Habba Kadal Shamim Firdous, MLA Hazratbal Salman Sagar, MLA Lal Chowk Sheikh Ahsan Ahmed, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Commissioner Secretary Floriculture, Parks and Gardens Zubair Ahmad and Director Floriculture Kashmir Mathoora Masoom, among other officers and officials.
Meanwhile, Abdullah today inaugurated the autumn edition of ‘Know Your Artisan’ at the Chrysanthemum Garden in Srinagar, bringing Kashmir’s rich handicraft heritage into the spotlight against the backdrop of the Valley’s autumn blooms, an official press release informed.
It said Minister for Agriculture Production Javid Ahmad Dar, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, MLAs Shamim Firdous, Sheikh Ahsan Ahmed (Pardesi) and Salman Sagar, Director Handloom & Handicrafts and other senior officers of the Department were present on the occasion.
During his visit to the exhibition, the chief minister evinced keen interest in live demonstrations of Kashmir’s traditional crafts, renowned for their intricate craftsmanship and presence in niche global markets. He visited various stalls and interacted with artisans, who shared their experiences and spoke about the skill, dedication and painstaking effort that go into creating these exquisite handicrafts.
The chief minister welcomed the Handicrafts and Handloom Department’s initiative to showcase traditional crafts at prominent tourist destinations such as the Chrysanthemum Garden. He said the initiative offered visitors an opportunity to experience Kashmir’s rich artistic heritage alongside its natural beauty, while encouraging them to explore and purchase authentic handcrafted products.
‘Know Your Artisan’ is a brand promotion campaign of the Handicrafts and Handloom Department under the aegis of ‘Soulful Kashmir’. The initiative seeks to bring Kashmir’s skilled artisans to the forefront by providing them a platform to showcase their work and share the stories behind their craft.
The department has set up 20 stalls showcasing Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged and languishing crafts. The exhibition will continue for 15 days alongside the Chrysanthemum Show.
A special ‘Try Your Hands’ corner has also been established to offer visitors a first-hand experience of traditional craft-making techniques.
Visitors can witness the intricate processes involved in creating some of Kashmir’s most celebrated handicrafts and handloom products, including Sozni-embroidered Pashmina shawls, Kani shawls woven using the traditional taleem technique, papier-mâché products, willow wickerwork and walnut wood carvings.
