Spring is in full bloom in the heavens of Kashmir. The folds and faults of the valley seems to have been embellished with diverse coloured flowerets especially those of the almonds and the Tulips.
To add to this spring fervor, the Tulip Festival-2022 is on a roll in the Kashmir valley’s famous Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden. Previously a Model Floriculture center, known locally as Siraj Bagh, the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip garden was opened in the year 2007, with an aim to promote floriculture and reinvigorate the tourism sector of the valley. The Voices presents the shades of Tulip Festival- 2022.
The garden is situated on the foothills of Zabarwan Range with an overview of the scenic Dal Lake. It is the largest Tulip garden in Asia spread over an area of 30 hectares. The garden is built in a terraced fashion and consists of seven terraces housing some 1.5 million flowers.
The garden harbours 68 varieties of Tulips, of which six new varieties have been added this year only. Apart from Tulips, other flower species present in the garden include Hyacinths, Daffodils and Muscari.
Tulip Festival organized during the onset of spring season in Kashmir valley is an annual celebration to showcase the range of flowers in the garden. In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic the festival was cancelled altogether. In 2021 garden recorded 2.15 lakh visitors. However, this year owing to dwindling COVID-19 cases and ease in travel restrictions a huge visitor footfall is expected.
Pic Credits: Syed Tuba, Management staff: Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip garden
Edited by NK Jha