15-day ‘Tulip Festival’ begins: Asia’s largest Tulip Garden thrown open for public

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Srinagar: The 15-day ‘Tulip Festival’ was kick-started at Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden situated in the lap of Zabarwan Hills with its formal opening for public.
Spread over 600 kanal of land, this is the largest Tulip Garden of Asia with over 1.5 million flowers of more than 46 varieties.
While inaugurating the festival, Secretary Tourism, Mr Farooq Shah, said that this year the festival is being organized on the theme of ‘Bahaar-e-Kashmir’. He said stalls from various allied departments have been installed in the garden to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the State. The added attraction of the festival is the folk musical programmes to enliven tourists, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Director Floriculture, Gardens & Parks, Mr Muhammad Hussain Mir, said the festival is meant to boost tourism in Kashmir during which various activities will be held to attract tourists to the famed garden. He said that in addition to tulips the other bulbous plants grown in the garden include Hyacinths, Nacissus, Daffodils Muscaria and Iris.
He further said that perennial water stream, an essential component of Mughal gardens, would be replicated to add to the aesthetics of Tulip garden.