New Delhi: Tulip Garden in Kashmir is considered to be one of the biggest in Asia where 1.5 million flowers bloom. It has witnessed record-high arrivals of visitors, locals as well as domestic tourists this year since its establishment in 2007.
According to the officials, 2.66 lakh people visited the garden till Sunday after it was opened to the public on March 23.
Tulip Garden thrown open today. Millions of beautiful tulips in the lap of the majestic zabarwan mountains in all their glory.#DekhoApnaDesh #welcometojammukashmir@diprjk @OfficeOfLGJandK @tourismgoi @incredibleindia @nitishwarKumar @kishanreddybjp @SarmadHafeez3 @DrGnitoo pic.twitter.com/keyWzOQew0
— Jammu & Kashmir Tourism (@JandKTourism) March 23, 2022
“This year broke all records. Over 2.66 lakh people visited the garden in just 12 days of its opening, the highest since 2007,” said Sofi Inam-ur-Rehman, floriculture officer and in-charge of the Tulip Garden.
The garden plays an important role as it attracts a lot of tourists and is considered to be an important tourist hot spot. Besides, the garden woos a lot of tourists in Spring, particularly after the Covid disruption in March 2020. Last year, the garden saw 2.30 lakh visitors, including tourists and locals.
In 2020, the garden remained closed owing to the outbreak of the pandemic. However, in 2019, the garden attracted 2.58 lakh visitors including locals, and 1.9 lakh in 2018 with the annual tulip festival gaining popularity and attracting tourists over the years.
An ocean of wild tulips adorns the countrysides of the valley. This is just a glimpse of what spring has to offer in J&K.#DekhoApnaDesh @diprjk @OfficeOfLGJandK @tourismgoi @incredibleindia @kishanreddybjp @SarmadHafeez3 @nitishwarKumar @DrGnitoo @xeeshan_KAS @KDeebah pic.twitter.com/Mlo6Uztt5H
— Jammu & Kashmir Tourism (@JandKTourism) March 29, 2022
“Improvement in Covid-19 situation and then relaxation in restrictions has resulted in the increasing number of visitors,” Rehman said.
The official stated that locals have been visiting the garden before the onset of the holy month of Ramadan which has been causing traffic jams on the Boulevard road last week.
“Of the 2.66 lakh visitors so far this year, 1.9 lakh locals visited the garden. A footfall of 49,000 was witnessed on Saturday, just a day before the start of Ramadan (on Sunday) after which the local rush has dropped substantially,” Rehman said.
“Mostly domestic tourists are visiting the place now,” he said.
The wild tulips of Pampore:Could there be a lovelier sight…the endless fields of pinks and whites and the swaying mustard beyond.Paradise beckons.
PC:- Adil Reshi@diprjk @OfficeOfLGJandK @tourismgoi @incredibleindia @kishanreddybjp @nitishwarKumar @SarmadHafeez3 @DrGnitoo pic.twitter.com/Y1P7SCVlDV
— Jammu & Kashmir Tourism (@JandKTourism) April 4, 2022
The garden possesses almost 1.5 million flowers of 68 varieties. The garden spreads over 30-hectare terrace at Siraj Bagh located on the foothills of the Zabarwan mountain range and banks of majestic Dal Lake.
Usually, the tulip bloom starts in late March. Reportedly, a tulip bears an average life of 20 days and can extend to a maximum of 25 days. Besides, the overall blooming period can be extended by adding late-blooming varieties of tulips.
“The temperatures have increased, so the flowers won’t sustain for long this year. The flower needs moderate temperatures but we are now seeing temperatures between 25-28 degrees Celsius which is detrimental for its growth,” he said.
“Last year we closed the garden on April 25 but this year we think it will be early,” he added.
