Symphony of colours: Asia’s largest Tulip Garden thrown open in Srinagar

With over 1.8 million tulips of 75 exquisite varieties in its lap, Asia’s largest Tulip Garden overlooking the world-famous Dal Lake was thrown open on Monday by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, marking the beginning of the spring season in the Valley.

Soon after Omar, along with his cabinet colleagues, stepped out of the garden, a large number of tourists from different parts of the country flocked to the garden. During his stay in the garden, Omar clicked selfies with his cabinet colleagues.

Extending a warm welcome to tourists visiting Kashmir, the Chief Minister said that the mesmerising beauty, vibrant colours and soothing fragrance of the blooming tulips would offer visitors a unique and unforgettable experience.

The Chief Minister appealed to tourists from across the country and around the world to visit Jammu & Kashmir during the spring season and experience its unmatched natural beauty.

First-time visitors were particularly effusive in their praise. Many said stepping into the garden felt like entering a dreamlike paradise. One delighted tourist from New Delhi, Jai Singh, shared, “We felt we were in paradise, the colours, the freshness, the mountains... it’s beyond words.” Others echoed the sentiment, calling it “truly stunning” and “the cherry on the cake of Kashmir’s beauty,” far exceeding their expectations.

A newlywed couple from Tripura echoed similar sentiments, marvelling at how the riot of colours against the backdrop of snow-capped mountains and the shimmering lake created an unforgettable scene straight out of a dream.

Visitors wandered along colourful pathways lined with reds, yellows, pinks, purples, whites, and more, snapping photos against the scenic valley vistas.

This year, around 18 lakh tulips of over 70 varieties, along with nearly one lakh other bulbous flowers including daffodils, hyacinths and narcissus, have been planted, adding vibrant colours to the valley’s spring landscape. Authorities are optimistic that this season will break previous visitor records, boosting spring tourism in the region.

The Tulip Festival is expected to continue through mid-April, weather permitting, with peak bloom anticipated in the coming weeks.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister expressed hope that the onset of spring would usher in renewed optimism, prosperity and growth for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly for the tourism sector, which serves as a major driver of the region’s economy.

He stated that the Tulip Festival has emerged as one of the most prominent tourism events in the Kashmir Valley and provides an excellent platform to showcase the breathtaking natural beauty, cultural richness and hospitality of Kashmir to visitors from across the country and around the globe.

Chief Minister complimented the Floriculture Department for making the Tulip Garden ready in time and said that officers and gardeners of the Floriculture Department deserve to be appreciated for their efforts in curating this garden. CM said that in the time to come, the Floriculture Department shall be developing its own rootstock so that dependence on importing of bulbs is gradually reduced and this would also require the support of SKUAST Kashmir.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister also released a tourism promotional song titled ‘Wadi-e-Sumbul’ produced by the Department of Information and Public Relations. During the event, the Chief Minister inaugurated a souvenir point established by the Floriculture Department.

He also inaugurated the exhibition of Handicrafts and the handloom department and inspected the stalls.