Riya Sharma (BOMBAY TIMES; July 15, 2020)

After being shut throughout the lockdown, monuments in Delhi reopened in Unlock 2.0. Himansh Kohli, who returned to Delhi when flights resumed, visited Qutub Minar with us over the weekend. Wearing a mask, carrying sanitiser and maintaining social distancing, the actor appreciated efforts taken by the authorities during the unlock phase and relived his childhood memories at the site. “I’m carrying my sanitiser, have a mask on and will follow social distancing norms,” said Himansh as he met us at Qutub Minar.

With tickets going digital, Himansh scanned his at the entrance and got his temperature checked. “There used to be a long queue at the ticket counter, but now you can only buy them online. You have to scan them yourself,” he explained. This was followed by the security guard sanitising his hands and noting down his details, such as his name, phone number, address, last visited location etc. “This is my second outing since Coronavirus lockdown. It feels good visiting a place that makes me nostalgic. There are only five-10 people around even though it’s a Sunday. All safety precautions are in place, and I feel safe,” he shared.

Talking about his earlier visits to the place, Himansh admitted, “I’m a Delhiite and I have lived in the city most of my life, but this is my second visit to Qutub Minar. My last visit was 15-16 years ago, when I came here for a school picnic. I’m glad I’m revisiting this place when there are no distractions, no schedules, no engagements, fewer people, and lots of time on hand.” While leaving, Himansh said that he was awestruck visiting the place, and he now plans to explore other monuments, too. “As I entered, I told myself I have to visit all these amazing monuments again, no matter how many times I’ve been there. I explored the place with safety, understanding that this is the new normal, and it wasn’t bad at all. I loved every bit of it.”