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Ridhima Pandit: Tulips in Delhi make me realise what I was missing in Mumbai
Actor Ridhima Pandit recently visited the vibrant Tulip Festival at Shantipath. Between stopping for selfies with tulips and greeting excited fans, she spoke about missing quiet moments in Nature when back home in Mumbai.
Wandering through the breezy lanes of Shantipath, as actor Ridhima Pandit views blooming tulips, nostalgia of her childhood trips to Delhi hit her. Between stopping for selfies with the flowers and greeting excited fans, she soaks in the vibrant vibe and speaks about missing the quiet moments in Nature when back home in Mumbai. Best known for her roles in TV series such as Bahu Hamari Rajni Kant and Haiwaan: The Monster, the actor admits how the Capital still offers her a refreshing slice of calm amid the chaos.
‘Feels like Switzerland’
Walking through the gardens around Shantipath, Ridhima couldn’t help but notice Delhi’s abundance of green spaces — something she says she misses “terribly” in Mumbai. “I’m so happy to be here among these tulips. It feels like being somewhere abroad, like Switzerland. It makes me realise what I miss back home. One stark difference between Mumbai and Delhi is the amount of green space here. I didn’t even know such a beautiful tulip garden existed in the middle of the city. It’s truly a sight for sore eyes,” she says.
A homecoming of memories
For Ridhima, Delhi isn’t just a travel destination; it’s a map of childhood memories and evolving friendships. From childhood trips to watching her closest friends build lives in the city, the actor feels a deep-seated connection. “I’ve been coming to Delhi since I was a kid. In fact, the first ever school trip that we ever took, we started the trip from Delhi. Agar kahin bhi jaana hota tha toh pehle ek Delhi ka chakkar kat ta hi tha. In those days it was the India Gate, Chandni Chowk, Lodhi Gardens etc that we used to visit, memories of which have stayed with me. Every time I come to Delhi, I see a new side of Delhi and this time it is the tulips,” says the actor
And it’s not just nostalgia that pulls her back. Over time, the city’s people have turned those memories into something far more personal and present. “Delhi has also started to feel like home. Because every time I come here, my friends are always like, ‘Please come stay with us, you know, you don’t need to stay in a hotel.’ So I think this warmth of people from Delhi, everyone just has a very large heart when it comes to Delhi. ‘What do you need? Just tell me... Abhi ho jaayega.’ That’s the first thing that I hear from all my Delhi friends.”
‘Civic sense needs to come into play’
While the beauty of the tulips at Shantipath left her in awe, the sight of plucked flowers and lack of care by some visitors left her disheartened. She left with a message for Delhiites: “My heart was kind of broken to see so many people have plucked the flowers. I really feel that people should respect the beauty that is being put forward for them. That is one of the reasons that civic sense needs to come into play. Delhi is beautiful. The roads are lovely, and there is just so much space. I mean, it is our Capital for a reason. Delhiites, you are so blessed to have Nature’s beauty around you. Respect it.”
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