Grasshopper Hidden Treasures | Page 15

G ar Firdaus bar-rue zamin ast, hami asto, hami asto, hami asto. A famous quote by Amir Khusrow, a poet, sufi musician and scholar during Mughal empire in India after he visited Kashmir. The quote translates to English as “If there is a heaven on Earth, it is here, it is here, it is here”. Heaven on Earth Kashmir is an apt valley for to experience the nature in its own. Its beauty is intensified by the panoramic view of great Himalayas. The Kashmir Festival is celebrated in Kashmir Tulip Garden settled on the lower region of Zabarwan Range. The festival commends the sprouting period of the sublime tulips. The seven terraced garden was established with the goal to encourage tourism and horticulture in Kashmir Valley. The festival is celebrated roughly in March or April in the garden that overflows with Tulip. The celebration goes on until nature continues to cast mysterious spell. The Garden was ranked among top 5 tulip destination at the World Tulip Fest in Canada in the year 2017. HIGHLIGHTS There is a wide variety of Tulips on display to steal your heart in the Tulip Garden, Srinagar. If you visit the garden during this festival, you will be able to get the glimpse of even the rare Queen of the Night variety. Last year there were more than 40 varieties of tulips exhibited and a whooping several lakhs of flowers on display. The trip to Kashmir would be incomplete without taking souvenirs home. There are various kiosks outside the garden during the fest that offer a wide range of traditional handicrafts. And not to forget to savor the Kashmiri cuisine at the stalls. BEST TIME TO VISIT Tulip Festival will be celebrated by the end of April this year. However keep your calendar free for the month of May as well as there has been no official statement regarding dates of the festival yet. ENTRY FEE Entry fee to the garden is very normal and costs Rs 100 for adults and Rs 50 for children. NEARBY ATTRACTIONS Dal Lake Talking about Srinagar would be incomplete without mentioning Dal Lake and houseboats that dot the lake with majestic Pir Panjal mountains standing tall in the background. April, 2019 g 13