Gar firdaus bar rue zameen ast
hameen asto, hameen asto, hameen ast
If ever there is Paradise on Earth, It is here! It is here! It is here!

Whenever one talks about Kashmir, these words by Amir Khusrau immediately spring to mind. Kashmir is a land of unimaginable beauty. Just thinking about Kashmir evokes visuals of majestic mountains and beautiful valleys (remember the old Bollywood songs?).

The region is also home to a large variety of beautiful flowers, and visiting the region during spring is like stepping into paradise. The rich flora of the region includes a variety of unique flowers, including tulips. Yes tulips. If you thought tulips can only be found in Holland, think again. Kashmir boasts of some beautiful varieties of tulips, and the tulip festival is one such event that celebrates the rich flora of the region.

What is the Tulip Festival?

It is an annual event that celebrates the blooming season of the tulip flowers. The Tulip Festival is one of the most stunning sights to witness in the country. The festival is held at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar. Situated at the foothills of Zabarwan hills, it is one of the largest tulip gardens in Asia. Built over seven gently rolling terraces spread over 30 hectares, it was originally called the Model Floriculture Centre and has been open to the public since 2007.

Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden is one of the first large scale landscaping projects taken up by the government since Mughal times. And the results are worth it! Come spring and the garden is in full bloom. Enjoy this riot of colours for over a month in 2019—from April 1 to May 5.

What will I see at the Tulip Festival?

Tulips. And loads of it. As the name suggests one can see a large variety of tulips at this festival. Here we give you a lowdown on the different varieties one can see at this festival-

Standard Tulips– This is the normal variety
Double Bloom– It has many layers of petals
Parrot Tulips– This variety has ruffled petals in different colours much like the plumage of a tropical parrot
Rembrandt – These are pale coloured tall tulips
Single Late Tulips – These are cup-shaped tulips and come in wide range of colours

Apart from these, there are a whole lot of other varieties of tulips on display along with different kind of flowers like hyacinths, daffodils and narcissus etc.

A stroll in the garden is an activity suited to all members of a family irrespective of age. There are drinking points and differently abled friendly washrooms available on site. And the tech savvy can avail the Wi-Fi facilities at the venue.

Places to visit near Tulip Garden

The Tulip Garden is also the perfect pit stop for the rest of your travels. Located in one of the prime areas of Srinagar, the garden is close to some other places of interest like the Mughal Garden, Nishat Garden, Chashme Shahi Garden, Pari Mahal, Dal Lake, to name a few. If you are fond of shopping, then head over to some local nearby markets and pick up some lovely souvenirs.

The blooms during the spring season lend an ethereal beauty to Kashmir. Witness it for yourself by heading there for a vacation.