Kashmir diaries
Mahima enchanted
I wanted to study the culture and listen to the people’s stories. The hospitality the people provided was excellent and they were very welcoming. Dressing up like a Kashmiri girl was one of the best parts of the trip. This visit has changed my perception, perhaps because of the people I met and the warmth I received. As a nature lover, I feel that the biggest takeaway from the trip was not to take lightly what nature offers, and stress the need to save nature for future generations
— Mahima Makwana
At a time when most actors are scared to even step out, Mahima Makwana went to Kashmir for a week-long trip. The Mosagallu actress went there to shoot music videos, little realising how memorable the trip would turn out to be.
“I just got back from Kashmir, but the picturesque locations are still flashing in my mind,” says Mahima. Revealing that it was her first visit to any destination since the pandemic struck last year, the actress stresses that she made sure that she did not take the situation lightly at any point during her visit to the Himalayan State.
“I was initially scared to go to Kashmir, but I thought this was an opportunity to get out of the house after a year. I believe this was a much-required break for me. Moreover, the fact that they weren’t too many people in the crew, and that we would be shooting in non-crowded places, made me comfortable with the idea,” says the actress. The entire unit underwent repeated tests for COVID-19, she says. As a part of the work, Mahima visited places like Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Betaab Valley. Although most of the tourist spots were not open to the public due to the prevailing situation, she strolled around these places whenever she had time off from the shoot, and cannot stop raving about them. “Since there weren’t many people around, I made the most of my trip. I enjoyed the scenic valleys and flowing rivers and it was so rejuvenating to be in the lap of nature,” she enthuses, adding that the calm ambience was therapeutic.
“I wanted to study the culture and listen to the people’s stories. The hospitality the people provided was excellent and they were very welcoming,” she says.
Recalling an occasion when the locals gave her typical Kashmiri clothes to wear, she says “Dressing up like a Kashmiri girl was one of the best parts of the trip.” She also got to taste local dishes like Rogan Josh, besides binging on Kahwa and dry fruits.
Apart from shooting in scenic locations, Mahima also went around Srinagar for shopping and sightseeing. “This visit has changed my perception, perhaps because of the people I met and the warmth I received,” Mahima shares, signing off.