At the beginning of 2021, like many other actors Chitrangda Singh, too, had resumed work and even dived into planning her second production venture. But in February, she tested positive for COVID-19 and was in home isolation. “By the time I recuperated and was ready to get back to work, we were hit by the second wave,” says the actress and producer, who also lost a young family member to Coronavirus.

The actress adds, “I remember during those months I used to be glued to the news channels. Whenever I tried to disconnect by watching movies or web series, I would feel guilty and go back to watching the news. My parents were worried about me, and they would ask me to stop following the news so much.”

To cope with the difficult phase, Chitrangda decided to head to the mountains. At the end of April, the actress and her family took off to Himachal Pradesh to live there for some time.

Chitrangda says, “It was only when I reached Himachal Pradesh that I realized how much watching the news constantly was affecting me. Staying amidst the mountains was so peaceful and serene, and it helped me emotionally. I realised that in situations like these, it is important to look after yourself, mentally and physically.”

Elaborating on her stay amid the picturesque landscape, she shares, “We stayed at a friend’s home from where we went trout fishing. Later, we stayed at a cottage where we had food made using freshly plucked vegetables. I even tried my hand at making pasta.”

The actress returned to Mumbai in the first week of May, only to head to Kashmir with her entire family in June. “I have been to Kashmir multiple times,” she says, adding, “This time we stayed at Pahalgam. I went to this beautiful town called Kangan, too. The most memorable part about this trip was visiting the Karan Mahal in Srinagar. The royal property overlooks the Dal Lake and sits on a massive piece of land, and this was the first time I ventured inside the palace. I was glad I could meet the princess whose name is also Chitrangada (laughs!).”

Ask her about the gastronomic experiences she had while in Kashmir, and she is quick to recollect details about the traditional 36-course meal there. “It’s called Wazwan. We knew that we wouldn’t be able to finish the 36-courses and so we asked them to pick the best nine courses for us. Every meat preparation was different and delicious. I couldn’t have missed having the Kahwa there. I also received a samawar, a Kashmiri kettle used to brew, boil and serve teas, from a well-known decorated officer there as memorabilia,” says the actress who’s now back to Mumbai for work. “I am here to shoot an ad, while my family is still in Kashmir. They will stay there till the end of this month, and I hope to join them soon,” she signs off.