SHAKEELA ANDRABI
SRINAGAR: Soon after opening of Tulip Garden tourists, thousands of visitors from across the country visited the place in just two days and it is expected that a record number of tourists would visiting the valley to enjoy beautiful visuals of Tulip Garden in coming days.
Having more than 1.5 million tulips of 68 different varieties, the Tulip Garden of Srinagar is spread over an area of 30 hectares at foothills of Zabarwan Hills, overlooking the famous Dal Lake. “With a wide variety of tulips, we have daffodils hyacinths and spring-flowering trees. We have 70 gardeners who work round the year in garden. It takes a lot of hard work to make beds, bulbs sowing, protecting flowers from any disease etc. The initial response is great, and I am sure that it’s going to be a great season. We are extremely happy to host people from across the country. Moreover, we have been approached by a lot of filmmakers desirous to shoot their films in the garden. We welcome them to shoot their films here,” said Dr Inam Ahmad, Incharge Tulip Garden. Pertinent to mention here that Tulip garden in Srinagar was opened in 2007 to promote tourism. It’s always acted as a main attraction for tourists during Spring season. “From a tourism point of view, Tulip Garden is an iconic place and everybody who wants to visit tulip garden is most welcome. We have opened the garden almost a month earlier and are sure to host a lot of people who are impatiently waiting to visit the place. In coming days, we are going to organize a tulip festival, wherein people from across the country will be invited,” said Tourism Director.
This year the garden has been made more attractive with many additions. More trees and shrubs have been added, along with an open-air cafeteria. The tourism department is also planning to sell various Kashmiri breads and tea in garden so that tourists can enjoy beautiful visuals with authentic Kashmiri food in garden. “I have always seen these visuals in movies, but now I am here to see the beautiful garden. It is just a dream come true for me,” said a tourist from Pune, Maharashtra.
Last year despite COVID restrictions, more than 2.25 lakh tourists visited Tulip Garden and it is hoped that all previous records would break this season.