Tulip Garden in Kashmir : Fall in love, Yash Chopra Style

It’s easy to imagine why Yash Chopra chose Kashmir as the muse for one of his eternal and most lyrical romances, Silsila. Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha’s tender medley (remember dekha ek khwab to yeh silsile hue?) amidst  blushing tulip fields was not just the figment of an art director’s imagination come to life, but the beauty of Asia’s largest tulip garden - Siraj Bagh.

 

Flower Power

Siraj Bagh or the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, on the foothills of the Zabarwan Range in Srinagar, Kashmir, unfolds its greatest spectacle during the month of April, more specifically between the 5^th and 10^th (the dates vary depending on when the tulips are in full bloom). This is the time when Tulip Garden in Kashmir holds a Festival, an occasion for tourists both national and international to flock to Kashmir in large numbers. The festival is a huge hit for various reasons. On the one hand is the breathtaking beauty of the Zabarwan Range and the Dal Lake on its foothills. On the other is the spectacle of hundreds of thousands of blooms spread over an astounding five hectares of land on the shores of the lake – creating a riot of reds, yellows, pinks, whites and the most spectacular of blues and purples. Visitors can take long romantic walks among the flowers as they admire them – a sight that usually encourages the whipping out of the camera ever so often.

 

Bud Naturally

The department of horticulture in Kashmir, which takes care of the gardens and organises the festival, imports tulips from Holland for this purpose. The festival in 2012 saw the planting of nearly a million bulbs in more than 70 different varieties. Since this event is meant to bring in more and more tourists to the valley of Kashmir, it also offers a wide window into the culture and beauty of this place. Visitors will not only get an eye full of nature at its vibrant best, but also get to acquaint themselves with Kashmiri folk dance and music as well as local handicrafts, both of which are a part of the Tulip Festival. It is also a great place to get a mouthful of Kashmiri delicacies like rogan josh and phirni.

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How to get there: The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden is located at Siraj Bagh Cheshmashahi, in the capital Srinagar, right between the Moghul gardens and Nishat Bagh. It is a very popular location and easily accessible by road.

Entry Fee: The entry fee to the gardens in very nominal – Rs. 50 for adults and Rs. 25 for children.

Plan in Advance: The flowers bloom only for about 15 days in a year. Depending on the temperature, the blooms may be delayed or arrive early. It is therefore better to make preparations for your visit in advance by checking the dates of the festival closer to the expected time, between end of March and early April. A walk in the Tulip Garden in Kashmir will stay with you longer than you expect.