Set up in 1952 and spread over a mammoth 172 kanals of land, this mulberry nursery in the Sangrampora Churmujroo village of Kashmir’s Budgam district reflects not only a unique magical panorama of thousands of beautiful mulberry trees but also portrays its own importance and popularity among local and other visitors.
Over the years the nursery has gained its popularity not only due to being one of the largest mulberry nurseries in valley but also a place of attraction for the visitors who come to spend time amid the picturesque lush green nursery that blossoms with the mulberries during the particular season.
For the past many decades school-going children and others often visit the place for picnic and educational tour purposes and to be around the beautiful trees grown by the sericulture department with a purpose to boost the silk production in the Kashmir valley.
Ali Muhammad, Zonal Officer Beerwah from the Sericulture Department, said that the Mulberry Nursery, which is situated in the Sangrampora Churmujroo Village, was created by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir in 1952 upon 172 kanals of land.
“Currently, the nursery has various kinds of mulberry trees that are being grown by the sericulture department for the upliftment and increase of silk production in the district and the valley,” Muhammad said.
He said, “ The mulberry nursery has its own popularity among the local people also in past so many decades as the students from the various villages of the Beerwah tehsil would come here for the educational tours or for picnics in the past also. The pristine beauty of the nursery attracts visitors especially in the summer season and when the mulberries are witnessing a full bloom.”
“During the educational tours students are provided with the knowledge regarding the importance of the mulberry trees and silk production. The students are also asked questions regarding the importance of the mulberry tree and silk production,” Muhammad said.
Arif Bashir, a local resident from the area, told Rising that during the year 1975, when there was no picnic spot across the villages falling under the jurisdiction of the Beerwah tehsil, people would visit the mulberry nursery.
“ As the teachers from the government schools would bring the students to Mulberry Nursery every year, the mulberry picnic and mulberry educational tour concepts became popular among the students in the schools”, he said.
“During that time, there were not many transport facilities available, and the teachers, especially from the government schools of many villages, used to bring the students to the Mulberry Nursery, which did not cost the students even a single penny “, a local resident Wani said.
He said that Churmujroo village is one of the villages in the Beerwah tehsil that has gained popularity because of the presence of the picturesque mulberry nursery in the area.
Reiterating that the Mulberry Nursery is well maintained in all respects a local visitor said, “The nursery has proper space and alignment of trees for the visitors to enjoy a smooth walk amid the beauty. The staff of the sericulture department is always there to brief the visitors on the kinds of mulberry trees and their irrespective importance for the production of silk .”
Recalling the good old picnic days regarding the mulberry nursery , Shabeer Ahmad Khan, a local resident from Gundipora village, said, “ when I was studying at the government school here, we used to come to the picnic at this spot. This was the only place at that time where the students and local people from the various schools would come for picnic purposes, especially in the mulberry season.”
“I can’t forget those golden days, how we would be enjoying the picnic and cherishing the barefoot walk along with our teachers to the nursery. We used to eat our lunch in this mulberry nursery. After so many decades I visit this spot not only because of the beauty of this place , But this place provides a person with relief and peace of mind and soul,” Khan said.
