Largest Chinar park, 'ChinarZaar', to come up in Srinagar soon

To mark 75 years of Independence of the country, the Srinagar administration is building the largest Chinar park in the Kashmir Valley on the foothills of the Zabarwan Mountains.

The park, called ‘ChinarZaar’ (The Valley of Chinars), will be spread over nearly 50 acres of land and be developed as an exclusive green zone to attract more tourists. As many as 75 Chinar trees are being planted by August 15 to celebrate 75 years of independence.

Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Aijaz Asad, who had conceptualised the project, on Monday directed the officers of all line departments to work in a coordinated manner for the development of the largest Chinar park and complete the prestigious project within a set timeline.

"Chinar tree is the legacy of Kashmir and is a living heritage and has a deep cultural value in the history of the Valley," he said. The development of the largest Chinar park at upper Nishat will further enhance the scenic beauty and environment in the area, and would also become a focal attraction for tourists, at the same time uplifting the socio-economic condition of the local population.

Chinar, locally called “Bouin,” is an integral part of Kashmiri culture and is associated with social, cultural as well as religious beliefs. It was introduced to Kashmir by Sufi Saint Syed Qasim Shah, who is credited with planting the oldest Chinar tree in Chattergam of district central Kashmir’s Budgam district around 650 years ago. It can have a girth of 14.78 metres (over 48 feet) and a height of 19 metres.

Chinar leaves during autumn have a romantic sense as has been reflected in Bollywood films like Haider and Mohabbatein. The Chinar tree grows best in cold areas. The trees shed their leaves once a year and can even survive a drought if it grows in optimum conditions – cool temperature, rich soil and a sunny location.

It takes a Chinar tree around 30 to 50 years to reach their mature height and around 150 years to grow to their full size. According to experts, the number of Chinar in the Valley has reduced over the decades, from an estimated 42,000 to below 20,000, owing to natural and man-made factors.