Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden to open for visitors 10 days ahead of schedule

SRINAGAR: Asia’s largest tulip garden here on the banks of Dal Lake will be open to the public from March 16, almost 10 days ahead of schedule, as the valley experienced warmer days leading to early blooming of the flowers.

Director of Floriculture Mathura Masoom said that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will open the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden for visitors.

“The Tulip garden will be thrown open for the public from March 16 (Monday),” he said.

The garden, which was added to the tourist spots of Kashmir in 2008, is usually opened for visitors in the last week of March. However, as Kashmir witnessed the hottest February in decades, the tulips have started to bloom early.

Masoom said more than 70 varieties of tulips will be on display at the garden. “This year, we have increased the density of bulbs to give a richer look to the garden. More than 1.8 million bulbs have been planted,” she said.

The director said all steps have been taken to ensure that tourists have a memorable visit to the garden.

“The ticket booking will be online, while many other facilities have been added for the tourists,” she said.

Cultural events have also been lined up to add to the attraction of the garden, the director said.

“We are also planning to invite school children and children from orphanages so that they also experience the tulip garden,” Masoom added.

The opening garden, in the foothills of the Zabarwan Range, will mark the beginning of a new tourism season in the Kashmir valley.

Formerly known as Siraj Bagh, the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden was opened in 2008 by the then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. The idea of the garden was conceived to advance the tourism season in the valley by two months.

The average life span of the tulip flower is three to four weeks, but heavy rains or too much heat can destroy them. (PTI)