Srinagar, Oct 18 : In a first-of-its-kind autumn initiative, Lal Chowk and its iconic Ghanta Ghar were transformed on Saturday into a large-scale Chrysanthemum display, a renewed bid to position Srinagar as a year-round floral and tourism destination.
Nearly 3,000 potted Chrysanthemums locally known as Gul-e-Dawood were arranged overnight by postgraduate and doctoral students from SKUAST-K’s Division of Floriculture. Under the guidance of Head of Division Prof Imtiyaz Tahir Nazki, the students showcased more than 15 indigenous varieties and 80 colours in the city centre.
The bloom show, earlier confined to the SKUAST-K Shalimar campus, was brought to Lal Chowk for the first time as part of an outreach move to “fill the tourism gap” between the summer season and winter arrivals.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Anshul Garg, who inaugurated the event, said the concept was in planning for three years. “The riot of colours in Lal Chowk is our invitation to tourists,” he said. “We hope that just like tulips attract visitors in early spring, this autumn Chrysanthemum show will draw people from across India and abroad.”
Garg said the floral installation would complement the public spaces developed under the Smart City initiative. He urged residents and tourists to visit both Lal Chowk and the month-long Gul-e-Dawood show that will open at the SKUAST-K Shalimar campus on Monday.
SKUAST-K Vice Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai said the choice of location was deliberate. “Lal Chowk is not only a commercial hub, it is the heart of the city,” he said. “As part of our outreach, we felt it was important to turn it into a Gulistan in autumn.”
He said the plan to introduce a major floral event in October and November was aimed at mirroring the popularity and economic impact of the spring tulip bloom. “The Chrysanthemum is resilient in autumn and available in multiple colours and varieties. This marks the beginning of an annual effort,” he said.
Srinagar Municipal Corporation Commissioner and CEO Smart City, Faz Lul Haseeb, said the proposal was immediately taken up when presented by SKUAST-K. The SMC facilitated the installation and said the makeover had given Lal Chowk a seasonal facelift.
Civil society members, traders and residents visited the venue through the day. A half-day cultural programme by SKUAST-K students accompanied the inauguration. Many visitors described the show as the city’s transition “from Gul-e-Lala to Gul-e-Dawood”.
Officials present included Joint Commissioner SMC, Director Research SKUAST-K Prof Haroon R. Naik, Director Extension Prof Raihana Habib Kanth and Dean, Faculty of Horticulture, Prof Nelofar Banday.
Prof Nazki thanked the university teams, civic departments and stakeholders for support to what he said was the inaugural edition of an autumn bloom in the city centre.
The organisers expect the Lal Chowk showcase to become a permanent municipal fixture and a prelude to the larger Chrysanthemum exhibition at the Shalimar campus.(KNS)
