J&K: Pampore's Picturesque Saffron Fields Entice Tourists

Pampore: Pampore, known as the saffron capital of Kashmir, is witnessing a surge in tourism as visitors flock to its deep saffron fields, basking in the beauty and fragrance of the prized spice. The tourists are getting first-hand experience of saffron flowers being plucked and collected in the wicker baskets by local men, women and children.

A tourist from Bangalore, Anpuniya said, "Our itinerary included coming here to explore the place and it truly is very beautiful. There are outlets in Bangalore selling saffron but today we had the chance to see it for ourselves. It’s very enchanting and we will take saffron directly from here. We will share our experience when we go back home and will encourage others to come and explore this."

Though the production of saffron has declined considerably over the last two decades due to dry weather conditions and rampant conversion of fields into business establishments, nevertheless, the huge swathes of saffron fields along the Srinagar-Jammu highway serve as a major attraction for the tourists visiting Kashmir Valley. Many tourists choose to purchase saffron directly from the farmers in its purest form rather than buying from big stores in Srinagar.