Tulips have been grown in the Indian state of Kashmir for long. They were introduced to Delhi this year with a bang-a 12 day Tulip festival was held with thousand of these lovely blossoms planted along the Shanti Path-the diplomatic area of the city. Seeing the wonderous response of the public to this festival, Tulips are here to stay on our garden scene. This blog attempts to provide information on this flower.
ORIGIN
Tulips are popularly associated with the Netherlands. It may be a surprise to learn that Tulips originated from and grew wild in the mountain ranges of the Himalayas, the Caucasus, the Tien Shan and the Pamirs. This covers a broad sweep of a belt through the Central Asia, slightly above the 38th parallel, including modern day countries like Iran, Afghanistan. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, the northern most tip of India and north western provinces of China.
HISTORY
Tulips were patronized by the Turkish empire that rose in the 9th century and there are references to this flower in the 11th century in the poetry of Omar Khayyam. The motif of the flower appeared on Turkish pottery, paintings & clothing. It adorned their so-called Turkish cap, the turban, called Tulipan and the word Tulip, probably has its origin there.
The first ever Tulip bulbs to come to Europe were brought in by a diplomat from Constantinople. Carolus Clusius, a botanist, planted the Tulips at Vienna’s Imperial Botanical Gardens. He subsequently directed Leiden University’s Botanical Gardens, Netherlands. This country became enamored of this plant and there was time (around the 1630’s) when a kind of “Tulip Mania” gripped its people. Tulip bulbs sold at exorbitant prices and were even traded on the stock exchange. This was probably in the 16th/17th centuries.
From wild Tulips then, to the Tulip of today, is a story of horticultural hard work, ingenuity and patience. From mostly reds and yellows in the wild, Tulips now come in practically all colours of the rainbow, including combination colors.
TULIPS IN INDIA
Tulips have grown wild in Kashmir for centuries. Srinagar in Kashmir now boasts of the largest Tulip garden in Asia, located on the shores of the Dal lake. named after Mrs Indira Gandhi, it has been developed as a major tourist attraction. The other gardens are the Lodi garden in Delhi, the Lal Bagh in Bangalore, the Garden in the President’s house at Delhi and the Rock Garden of Chandigarh. Currently, A huge tulip garden is being developed in the Himalayan state of Uttarkhand, over 50 hectares!
TULIPS IN DELHI
New Delhi Municipal Corporation has begun the practice of holding a Tulip festival in Delhi in the diplomatic area of New Delhi. This was held in the 2nd/3rd week of February this year. I spent half a day there and my take away of pictures follows:
It was a hazy winter morning, with chill in the air, and the Tulips shone through, like burning embers. Crowds thronged the place and the festival did have a festive air.
Children had a roaring time
The school teachers smiling rather than frowning.
Along with the flowers, Love also bloomed.
There were many who looked at the flowers through the cell phone.
The colours of the flowers ranged over the spectrum.
Red-a perennial favourite
Yellow-the perennial brightest
A horticultral labour of love
Much needed, but not so popular-the colour of peace
Pollen scatterred by the passing winds
A half opened beauty
(to be continued)