Asia's largest tulip garden open to tourists

Nestled on the foothills of Zabarwan range, Asia’s largest tulip garden was opened for visitors on Saturday.

Situated on the shores of the  Dal lake, the garden is all set to attract thousands of tourists after it was given a face-lift.

Tulips remain in bloom for 15-20 days from the last week of March to mid April depending upon the temperature.

“For the first time, 48 varieties of tulips have come to bloom in the garden where we have sown 1.5 million bulbs of the flower this year. Those who love nature and tulips no longer need to go to Holland or elsewhere,” secretary of the state tourism department Farooq Shah told reporters.

To woo back tourists to the unrest-hit Valley, the department has also decided to hold a mega tulip festival which will be part of ‘Bahaar-e-Kashmir’ event, said Shah.

Fest for 15 days

He said the festival will continue for 15 days.Last year, due to rise in temperature in February and March, tulips bloomed early and the authorities had to throw open the garden in the second week of March, 20 days ahead of the usual date.
Situated at an altitude of 5,600 feet, the tulip garden —  curated by former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad — came as a shot in the arm for the tourism department in 2008.

It attracted 12 lakh footfalls in 2012 and is fast emerging as a major spring season attraction for tourists across the country.