Umaisar Gull Ganie
Kokernag, Apr 2: For decades, Srinagar has been the crown jewel of Kashmir’s tourism, captivating visitors with its serene Dal Lake, mesmerizing Mughal Gardens, and the vibrant spectacle of Asia’s largest tulip garden.
However, SKUAST-K’s Mountain Research and Tulip Production Centre at Tangpawa Sagam, Kokernag, is now emerging as a new tourist hotspot, attracting both local and domestic visitors.
Spread over 400 kanals, the first phase of the project has seen tulips bloom on 5 kanals for tulip bulb production. This initiative, led by the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), aims to enhance local tulip cultivation.
The tulip center gained widespread attention on Eid-ul-Fitr, largely due to social media, resulting in an increase in tourist footfall and providing economic opportunities for locals.
Dr. Mohammad Ayoub Mantoo, Professor & Head Mountain Research Centre, Tangpawa Sagam, said that the primary purpose of the center is tulip bulb production.
“Currently, 40,000 tulips are planted on 5 kanals as part of an experimental trial. The center gained popularity on Eid-ul-Fitr due to social media exposure, and we plan to expand tulip cultivation in the coming years,” he said.
Dr. Mantoo said that besides local visitors, domestic tourists are also exploring the site. “This is a ticket-free center and has become a tulip attraction. Many visitors coming to the Kokernag garden also make their way here.”
Regarding its accessibility, he clarified that while the center is not officially open, the rising footfall has forced the deployment of staff to keep it accessible as long as the tulips remain in bloom.
“Srinagar’s tulip garden is in full bloom now, while some tulips here are yet to bloom, meaning our garden will remain open for a longer period,” he said.
Since Eid-ul-Fitr, over 50,000 people have visited the center, boosting tourism and creating livelihood opportunities for locals. “Our main goal is tulip production, enabling us to cultivate and plant our own tulips, as the government currently relies on tulip imports from outside the Union Territory,” he added.
