When you think Tulips you think Holland. And for a good reason. Holland is the world’s largest producer of Tulips. But did you know that Tulips actually originated few notches southeast of there? From Persia – the modern-day Iran. It’s the same place Kashmir got its Tulips from during the 1600s. And all of April – Spring springs Tulips in Srinagar – Capital of Jammu & Kashmir State in India.
This April….head to the Tulip Terrain – Srinagar which is Asia’s largest Tulip Garden – the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden.
20 lakh Tulips of 70 varieties blossom on 20 acres of Srinagar landscape in Orange, Pink, Red, Purple, Yellow and White to dazzle you. Imagine walking endlessly through unending lanes with thousands of Tulips on either side of you. It will make you breathless. Guaranteed!
The Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department is gearing up for an ultimate show of their exotic beauties from 1st to the 30th of April 2012 in an official Tulip Festival in Srinagar. The Tulip Festival is hosted in the Tulip Garden – the natural habitat of the 2 million Tulips – on the banks of Dal Lake at the foothills of the Zabarwan Mountain Range. This festival will not only showcase Tulips, it would also give visitors a smack of the Kashmiri culture and cuisine. Several stalls and kiosks would be set up which sell authentic Kashmiri food and handicrafts from all nooks and corners of Jammu & Kashmir State while Kashmiri professionals would perform to the tune of typical Kashmiri folk-music on all days of the festival to entertain and enlighten tourists of their rich culture. It would be a feast to the eyes to see some of the most beautiful Kashmiri women perform gracefully in the cultural programs organized by the Kashmir Tourism Department.
And ladies….shopping beckons you. Like nowhere else….you would find all sorts of Kashmiri handicrafts such as precious-stone studded silver jewelry such as sapphire, emerald, rubies, jade, coral, garnet studded necklaces, ear rings and finger rings; precious stone studded caskets, boxes pen stands, trays etc; Kashmiri clothing; wooden artifacts and furniture and woollen carpets. Awesome!!
The Tulip Festival would last for 10 days in April from 5th to 15th but the Tulip Garden would be open till the 30th of April for all visitors. If you miss this spring, you would have to wait a whole 365 days for the next Spring of Tulips in Srinagar. So….dont!
