Asia's largest Tulip Garden in Srinagar closed the season on April 24, two days after the Pahalgam attack, with a record-breaking 8.55 lakh visitors in one month.
The garden, named after former PM Indira Gandhi, is located at the foothills of the Zabarwan range and attracted massive footfall this year as well.
Apart from the Tulip Garden, Kashmir’s Mughal gardens, known for their pristine locations like Nishat Garden, Shalimar Garden, Chashma Shahi, and Pari Mahal, also witnessed massive local, national, and international tourists thronging the garden, while the Tulip garden has come to its close; others will remain open throughout the year.
The garden opened on March 26, 2025, and remained open until April 24, welcoming a massive number of locals, domestic tourists, and International travellers, according to official data. This year's footfall included over 4,000 international tourists. However, officials noted that after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, the garden experienced a noticeable dip in the number of visitors.
This year saw a marked increase in both domestic and international tourist arrivals across the valley, including at The Tulip Garden. The tourism sector, which had suffered heavily in the past decade, only began a modest revival in the last few years.
Pertinent to mention here, the season welcomed around 3.65 lakh visitors at Tulip Garden, while 2024 saw a stronger recovery with over 6.25 lakh tourists, setting the stage for this year’s historic turnout.
Despite the 2025 success, uncertainty clouds the outlook for the 2026 season, with several stakeholders expressing concern about the lasting impact of renewed security fears following the recent Pahalgam attack.
“While this year has been encouraging, whether this flow continues next year or not remains to be seen,” said a tourism department official.
Home to over 1.7 million tulips of various colours and species, the garden remains a vibrant symbol of peace, beauty, and resilience in Kashmir’s evolving narrative.
Follow us
