Asia’s largest tulip garden overlooking the Dal Lake in Srinagar has been thrown open to the public, marking the beginning of the new tourism season in the valley.
Formerly known as Siraj Bagh, the Tulip Garden was opened in 2008 by then chief minister of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state Ghulam Nabi Azad.
The idea of the garden, spread over 30 hectares in the foothills of snow-clad Zabarwan range, was conceived to advance the tourism season in the valley by two months.
Surrounded by tulips of myriad colours, a woman clicks a selfie. Photograph: ANI Photo
The garden houses more than 15 lakh flowers of more than 64 varieties in bloom.
Photograph: Umar Ganie/Rediff.com
Red, white, purple.... Tulips of all colours make the garden a beautiful sight to behold. Photograph: ANI Photo
The garden is perched at the foothills of Zabarwan range overlooking the picturesque Dal Lake.
Photograph: Umar Ganie/Rediff.com
The average life of a tulip flower is 20 days and can stretch to a maximum of 25 with overall bloom getting extended by adding late-blooming varieties of tulips.
Photograph: Umar Ganie/Rediff.com
This year, an additional two lakh bulbs have been added to the 30-hectare terracing garden at Siraj Bagh in Srinagar than last year when the bloom of 13 lakh (1.3 million) tulips had quietly withered away without catching an eye of any visitor due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
Photograph: Umar Ganie/Rediff.com
Last year, around 1.3 million tulips bloomed in the garden.
Photograph: Umar Ganie/Rediff.com
The garden is not all about flowers, it is about throwing open job opportunities for the people and providing livelihood to hoteliers, restaurant owners and footpath vendors.
Photograph: Umar Ganie/Rediff.com