The Netherlands tulips in India: 60,000 tulips bloom at the Netherlands Residence

The Residence of the Netherlands’ Ambassador to India, H.E. Marisa Gerards opened its doors to welcome a selected group of Indian dignitaries and special guests to enjoy the splendour of 60,000 blooming tulips.

Just as the lotus is inextricably linked to the history and culture of India, so is the tulip, a well-known symbol of the Netherlands. Tulips symbolise ‘rebirth’ and a new beginning since they are one of the earliest blooming flowers that herald the arrival of spring. This ties in beautifully with the recently renewed agreement between the Indian and Netherlands’ Prime Ministers to establish a strategic partnership in 2025. This partnership will take the bilateral relationship to a new height.

The tulip was introduced in the Netherlands at the end of the 16th century. In the 17th century, the people of the Netherlands became so enamoured with tulips that their passion for the flower sparked a phenomenon known as ‘Tulip mania’. During this time, tulip bulbs became incredibly valuable and were traded as stocks on the ‘Amsterdam Stock Exchange’.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, tulip growing became a major industry in the Netherlands. Today, the tulip is the most iconic bulb flower and the Netherlands’ landmark. There are more than 3000 registered varieties; the rarest bloom is called the ‘broken tulip’ with petals of two contrasting colours in a flamelike design.

The splendour and magnificence of the tulip are exposed every year in the tulip fields and gardens of the Netherlands. This attracts millions of flower enthusiasts. The most famous tulip festival in the world is the Keukenhof in Lisse. Inspired by this, Srinagar, India, started an annual tulip festival in 2007 and many famous Bollywood films also used the Dutch tulip fields as a romantic backdrop.

Today, the garden of the Residence provided a perfect setting to share the splendour of the Netherlands tulips in India symbolising as well that bilateral relations are also in full bloom.