JAMMU: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on March 16 inaugurated the annual Tulip Festival–2026 in Srinagar at the iconic Tulip Garden situated at the foothills of the Zabarwan, marking the arrival of the spring season in the Kashmir Valley. With the inauguration of the festival, Asia’s largest tulip garden was formally opened to visitors, presenting a spectacular floral display of nearly 1.8 million tulips representing more than 75 vibrant varieties, spread across the garden’s terraced landscape overlooking the scenic Dal Lake.
This garden, bigger than the Mughal Gardens, Shalimar and Nishat, was inaugurated during Ghulam Nabi Azad’s tenure as CM. The philosophy he worked on was to start the tourist season early in the Kashmir valley. Since tulips start blooming in mid-March and wither away in three to four weeks, depending on day temperatures, it leads to good tourist footfalls from all over India.
(Last year, in 2025, the Tulip Garden led to a heavy tourist influx, with hotel rooms becoming very difficult to get.) The garden was seeing a large number of tourists, but suddenly and abruptly, after the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, tourists fled from Kashmir. The Tulip Garden was then scheduled to be closed to visitors on April 24. The entire summer tourist season was then ruined when tourists stopped visiting Kashmir. Advance bookings of hotels, houseboats and taxis were then cancelled en masse,s and several tourist spots were shut down.)
Ministers Sakeena Itoo, Javid Ahmad Dar, Satish Sharma, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani and MLAs Tanvir Sadiq, Salman Sagar, Ahsan Ahmad Pardesi and Mushtaq Ahmad Guroo accompanied Omar during the inaugural ceremony.
Among others present on the occasion were Commissioner Secretary Floriculture Zubair Ahmad, Managing Director J&K Bank Amitabh Chaterjee, Vice Chancellor SKUAST-K Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Director SKIMS Prof. M. Ashraf Ganie, Director Information Nitish Rajora, Director Floriculture, Mathura Masoom, Director Handicrafts, Mussarat ul Islam, senior officers of the Floriculture Department and a large number of visitors and tourists.
Spring Season
Speaking on the occasion, the CM expressed hope that the onset of spring would usher in renewed optimism, prosperity, and growth for the people of J&K, particularly for the tourism sector, which is a major driver of the region’s economy. He stated that the Tulip Festival has emerged as one of the most prominent tourism events in the Kashmir Valley and provides an excellent platform to showcase the breathtaking natural beauty, cultural richness and hospitality of Kashmir to visitors from across the country and around the globe.
Omar complimented the Floriculture Department on making the Tulip Garden ready on time and said that officers and gardeners deserved appreciation for their efforts in curating it. He said that in the time to come, the department shall develop its own rootstock to gradually reduce dependence on imported bulbs, and this would also require the support of SKUAST Kashmir.
Extending a warm welcome to tourists visiting Kashmir, Omar said that the mesmerising beauty, vibrant colours and soothing fragrance of the blooming tulips would offer visitors a unique and unforgettable experience. The CM appealed to tourists from across the country and around the world to visit J&K during the spring season and experience its unmatched natural beauty.
Beautiful Landscapes
He further remarked that J&K is blessed with unparalleled natural splendour and scenic landscapes that continue to attract nature lovers and travellers from around the world. He expressed hope that visitors to the Tulip Garden would not only cherish the beauty of the flowers but would also carry with them a message of peace, harmony and prosperity from the Valley.
This Tulip Garden, recognised as Asia’s largest such garden, remains one of the most sought-after spring attractions in Kashmir and is expected to draw thousands of visitors during the ongoing Tulip Festival–2026. This year, around 18 lakh tulips of over 75 varieties, along with nearly one lakh other bulbous flowers including daffodils, hyacinths and narcissus, have been planted, adding vibrant colours to the valley’s spring landscape.
On the occasion, Omar also released a tourism promotional song titled ‘Wadi-e-Sumbul’ produced by the Department of Information and Public Relations. During the event, the CM inaugurated the souvenir point established by the Floriculture Department. He also inaugurated the handicrafts and handloom departments and inspected the stalls.
