Srinagar, Nov 10 (KNO): Despite a relatively poor flowering this season, the saffron fields of Pampore in south Kashmir's Pulwama district are attracting tourists from different parts of the country, with hundreds of visitors arriving daily to witness the seasonal bloom and experience the fragrance of Kashmir's world-famous spice.
Known as the saffron capital of Kashmir, Pampore has witnessed a steady flow of tourists over the past few weeks, with visitors spending time in the fields, capturing photographs and purchasing saffron directly from local growers and young vendors.
Although the flowering has remained below expectations at several places, the flowers that have bloomed have added vibrant shades of purple, maroon and yellow to the fields, creating a picturesque landscape that has become a new attraction for tourists visiting the Valley.
"Tourists can be seen visiting the saffron fields throughout the day. The flowering has been late this year at several locations, and the number of visitors is increasing with each passing day," Ghulam Rasool Mir, a resident, told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
He said many tourists are particularly interested in witnessing saffron cultivation closely, as they usually hear about the famous Pampore saffron but rarely get an opportunity to see the flowers in their natural surroundings.
Nadeem Ahmad, another resident, said saffron fields are gradually emerging as an additional attraction alongside established tourist destinations such as Dal Lake, Gulmarg and Pahalgam.
"Tourists are fascinated by the unique fragrance of saffron flowers. Many of them also purchase the spice directly from local sellers, which provides an opportunity for people associated with saffron cultivation to earn additional income," he said.
During their interaction with KNO, several tourists said they had planned their Kashmir visits around the saffron flowering season to experience something different from conventional tourist destinations.
Krishna, a tourist from Gujarat, said visiting Pampore's saffron fields had been a long-standing wish.
"Visiting Kashmir and spending time in these fields was my dream, and I am happy that it has finally come true. I have visited Gulmarg and Sonamarg and am now heading towards Pahalgam. Kashmir is truly a paradise, but spending time among the saffron flowers will remain one of the most memorable experiences of my trip," he said.
Other tourists described the visit as a unique experience, saying witnessing saffron flowers in the fields and learning about the cultivation of one of the world's most expensive spices made their Kashmir trip more memorable.
Meanwhile, local youth selling saffron in the fields said the seasonal flowering period provides them with an important opportunity to earn their livelihood.
They said the flowering season lasts for around a month, during which tourists not only visit the fields but also purchase saffron directly from them.
The youth said on-the-spot sales have helped them generate income while providing tourists an opportunity to buy the spice directly from local sellers.
However, they stressed the need for better tourism infrastructure to attract more visitors to Pampore's saffron belt.
They said although a Spice Park has been established in the area, its location away from the National Highway limits its visibility and accessibility for tourists travelling through the region.
"The government should establish a dedicated saffron tourism facility or promotional centre along the National Highway so that tourists travelling towards different destinations can easily visit the fields, learn about saffron cultivation and purchase authentic Kashmir saffron," they said.
Locals believe that promoting saffron tourism could provide an additional source of income to growers and unemployed youth while giving Pampore greater recognition on Kashmir's tourism map—(KNO)