Kashmir's Blooming Marvel: Early Opening of Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden

Asia's largest tulip garden, situated on the banks of Dal Lake, will open to the public earlier than usual on March 16, due to unseasonably warm weather leading to early flowering. The Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, typically accessible in late March, is opening early this year as February recorded unprecedented high temperatures.

The garden director, Mathura Masoom, announced that over 70 tulip varieties, comprising more than 1.8 million bulbs, will be on display. The garden's opening is set to inaugurate the Kashmir valley's tourism season. Cultural events and improved facilities, including online ticket booking, aim to make the garden a significant attraction for visitors.

The initiative also focuses on community engagement, with plans to invite school children and orphans to the garden. Originally named Siraj Bagh, the garden was envisioned to extend Kashmir's tourism season by two months and was inaugurated in 2008 by then-Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.