Tulips in bloom at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar | Photo Credit: ANI
It is believed that the Rembrandt tulip got its name from the attractive flame-like sheen of color on the base shade. One of the prettiest and most picturesque among tulips, they are a tribute to the famous Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn and his birthplace, the city of Leiden, which has a history of tulip growing that dates back to the early 16th century. This variety of tulip imported from the Netherlands is one of the biggest attractions at the ongoing Tulip Festival at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.
The festival, which announces the arrival of spring, has been a major tourist attraction since its launch in 2008. One of the largest gardens in Asia, this garden – located at the base of the Zabarwan Range with a spectacular view of Dal Lake – is an iridescent display of tulips colour-coded and neatly divided into rows, spread over an expanse of 30 hectares. This year, it opened to the public on March 19, and has already seen a footfall of over one lakh people, Sheikh Fayaz Ahmed, Commissioner/Secretary to Government, Floriculture, Parks and Gardens, Jammu and Kashmir Says the department. Last year, it received over 3,50,000 visitors.
Peach colored tulips at the Indira Gandhi Tulip Garden | Photo Credit: Zaroon Abbas
Organized by the Department of Floriculture, the festival is in its 15th year and is growing in scale each year. This time around one lakh flowers of 68 varieties have been planted in it. More than 30% of tulip varieties are imported from the Netherlands, the tulip capital of the world, says Inam-ul-Rehman, in-charge of the Tulip Garden. Although the flowers have a relatively short life, say three to five weeks, they are planted in a staggered display with early and late blooming varieties. Although not all are fragrant, some tulips are lightly scented. This year, a central fountain in the garden is an added attraction, says Inam.
Colour-coded rows of tulips in the Tulip Garden | Photo Credit: Zaroon Abbas
Some of the popular varieties on show include Parrot Tulips, Fringed Tulips, Bi-Color Standard Tulips, Double Blooms, Lily-Flowering Tulips, Fosteriana Tulips, and Triumphs. According to Zaroon Abbas, an official at the garden, it takes more than 10 months to prepare the garden for the blooming season that begins in March, when the temperature ranges between 14 and 22 degrees Celsius. “While visitors can enjoy the beauty of flowers, click selfies and even feel the leathery texture of their petals, we ask them not to pluck the flowers,” says Zaroon Are.
Tulip in Jammu
Due to the popularity of the Tulip Garden in Srinagar, the government is expanding it to Sanasar (comprising two small villages Sana and Sar) in Ramban district in Jammu. Though not as elaborate as the one in Srinagar, this smaller garden spread over two hectares has an equally dazzling variety of tulips on display. Arjun Singh Parihar, assistant floriculture officer, Udhampur/Ramban, says, “Planted in December, more than 20 varieties are already in bloom and more varieties will bloom through April.” “It has about three lakh tulips in 25 varieties in 12 to 13 colors ranging from rainbow colors to peach, purple and double-coloured,” he said.
Tulip festival features 68 different varieties of flowers Photo Credit: Zaroon Abbas
Sanasar, about 20 km from the popular tourist destination Patnitop, is an ideal place for a tulip garden. “This new tulip garden is in the lap of the Sanasar bowl, with spectacular views of the golf course, meadows and coniferous trees,” says Musarat Islam, deputy commissioner of Ramban district. Visit to Mata Vaishnodevi Temple in Katra.
The festival in Srinagar is through April and is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The entry fee is ₹59 for adults and ₹25 for children.
A glimpse of them before the biggest events and festivals of the country take place. So, you want to travel more? watch this space.