Asia’s largest Tulip garden in Srinagar is in full bloom these days with over 2.50 lakh tourists including, domestic as well as the foreigners, stopping by to witness its breathtaking beauty since it opened 20 days ago.
Situated at an altitude of 5,600 feet and ensconced between the famous Dal Lake and Zabarwan Hills, the Tulip Garden, presents a colourful look with 1.6 million tulip bulbs of different hues and 68 varieties in bloom.
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The Garden was thrown open for the people on March 20 this year. However, as the holy month of Ramazan started just three days later, the rush of locals decreased though domestic and foreign tourists continue to get enthralled by the beauty of the Garden.
Floriculture officer Shayiq Rasool only 150 foreign tourists visited the Garden last year while this year the number has crossed 1250. “Over 51000 locals and nearly two lakh domestic tourist arrivals have been recorded at the Tulip garden this year so far,” he added.
As ornamental lights for the evening have been installed in the Garden this year, many tourists are seen staying till late evening.
Mesmerized by the Garden’s beauty, Rahul Khanna, from Mumbai, said he has never seen anything so beautiful. “It is mind blowing and I am happy to have come here. This garden is stunning. Truly Kashmir is a paradise on earth,” he told DH.
Pertinently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a tweet a few days ago said that Jammu and Kashmir is beautiful, and even more so during the Tulip season.
In reply to the tweet threads by the Srinagar District Administration about the blooming of Tulip garden Modi said; “Jammu and Kashmir is beautiful, and even more so during the Tulip season.”
The garden played an important part in wooing tourists during the 2022 spring, particularly after the Covid disruptions in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, the garden witnessed a record number of tourists when around 3.6 lakh people visited it. The number was 2.3 lakh in 2021.