Jammu/Srinagar: The recent tweet by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Jammu and Kashmir to witness the Tulip festival in Kashmir speaks volumes about the PM’s concern and vision. He had said that whenever you get the opportunity, do visit Jammu and Kashmir and witness the scenic Tulip festival. In addition to the tulips, you will experience the warm hospitality of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. It is a message of a leader who internalises the importance and integrality of tourism. He must have the wider benefits that tourism can accrue to the host populations and help in a multiplier effect in the local economy. Besides making people earn the goodwill of the people all across India.
In another tweet he had said the same the day that,” Tomorrow,25th Marchis special for Jammu and Kashmir
.A majestic tulip garden on the foothills of the Zabarwan Mountains will open for visitors. The garden will see 15 lakh flowers of more than 64 varieties in bloom.” speaking minutely about the composition of the tulip varieties he has brought to the fore the immense efforts put in by the concerned department to make these flowers bloom and
sens a message of serenity and bliss. Not only that he has tried to emphasise the location of the garden with an eye on the specific of the historicity. It is pertinent to mention that this range now renamed as Zabarwan is originally known as the Sureshwar range or Rudrawan.
A majority of the places having religious and spiritual significance are located in this range. Jyeshtheswar Rudra an important Shaiv place is located in this range. These places have been well documented in the Kalhana’s Rajaarangini and other Sanskrit scriptures of Kashmir. Time has come to do the course correction and describe the
place in terms of its original place consciousness and aesthetics so that the real history of Kashmir and its places are brought into the public domain. This tulip bloom will surely bring a new wave of positivity and attract visitors to Kashmir and get immersed in its heavenly beauty that has acted as the motivation for scholars and savants. It will catalyse the tourism activity that has seen the slump due to conflict and later by the pandemic.
Prime Minister’s personal message to the citizens of the country has a lot of significance. It will send a sense of confidence among the people to visit Jammu and Kashmir. This message of the Prime Minister has been well received on Twitter and speaks about the sense of conviction. If the pandemic situation shows a slump later this year, we can have a great tourist season. After the political reorganisation of J and K, it will generate a new mood on the ground. Tourists from across the globe will surely like to throng Jammu and Kashmir and witness its natural beauty and heritage that has been the hallmark of this place. Now the ball is in the court of Tourism Policymakers who need to innovate and develop marketing strategies to invite the tourists to cherish the bounties of nature in Jammu and Kashmir. Hope the tourism marketers and the Tourism Department in the UT will uphold the vision of the Prime Minister to make it a prime destination of India in the coming days.
