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A million tulips bloom in Kashmir

Last updated on: March 25, 2010 15:23 IST

Kashmir's tulip garden, billed as Asia's largest, was thrown open to the public on Thursday.

The garden, nestled in the foothills of the Zabarwan mountain range overlooking the world famous Dal Lake, has 1.7 million tulips this unusually hot and dry spring.

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A million tulips bloom in Kashmir

Last updated on: March 25, 2010 15:23 IST

Brainchild of Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, the vast expanse of multihued tulips presents a breathtaking spectacle.

The tulip garden was conceived as an effort to advance the tourist season of Kashmir, known as 'paradise on earth' for its scenic beauty, by nearly two months.

A million tulips bloom in Kashmir

Last updated on: March 25, 2010 15:23 IST

The tourist season in Kashmir usually begins mid-May when the traditional flowering plants start blooming and the heat in the plains peaks.

The effort has borne fruit to a large extent, as the garden has become a major tourist attraction within three years of conception.

A million tulips bloom in Kashmir

Last updated on: March 25, 2010 15:23 IST

During the inaugural ceremony on Thursday, a large number of tourists had gathered at the garden's gates waiting for it to be thrown open.

The mesmerising effect of the garden's splendour was visible at the faces of the tourists as they entered the garden where rows of tulips were in full bloom and wove a tapestry of colours while the hills provided an ideal background.

A million tulips bloom in Kashmir

Last updated on: March 25, 2010 15:23 IST
"I delayed my departure to Mumbai by a day to have a glimpse of the garden. I am thrilled to see it," said Ravinder Shah a tourist from Mumbai.

A million tulips bloom in Kashmir

Last updated on: March 25, 2010 15:23 IST

Netherlands boasts of the largest tulip gardens of the world, which has turned into an industry for its tourist potential and export.

A million tulips bloom in Kashmir

Last updated on: March 25, 2010 15:23 IST
Three lakh more tulip bulbs would be planted later this year so that the garden comes to the level of two million next spring.

A million tulips bloom in Kashmir

Last updated on: March 25, 2010 15:23 IST
The Zabarwan mountain range also nestles the famous Mughal gardens overlooking one of the valley's major tourist attractions, the Dal Lake