Actor Anamika Chakraborty wanted to have a different Puja this year. Far away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the actor wanted to experience Himachal Pradesh in a different way and so along with Uday Pratap Singh, Anamika went to explore Spiti valley on a motorcycle.
“It is considered one the most dangerous motorable roads in the world and after what we saw it should be called that. But the experience was life-changing,” she added. So, they started their trip from Kolkata on October 10 and after reaching Shimla, they hired a motorcycle and set off for Spiti. “The beauty was breathtaking. I mean, I had no idea that a place can be this beautiful,” Anamika said.
The duo visited several villages on their way and spent time with the local people. From Shimla, they went to Kinnor Valley and from there to Sangla after almost 10 hours of the ride. “The last village before China Border is Chitkul and it was beautiful,” she said. The ride was far from being smooth as the duo faces a massive storm on their way to Kaza village from Nako. The roads were anyway bumpy and at times, Uday had to off-roading for more than 80 to 90 kilometres at a stretch. “We were going to Gramphu, and there was practically no road. We had ridden the motorcycle on boulders and stones for more than seven hours. But at the end of it I felt immensely proud of Uday because he had the ability to ride through it,” Anamika said.
Another day, Anamika and Uday were in danger after they reached Gramphu at night and didn’t find a place to stay. “Then all of a sudden it started raining like anything. Finally, we managed accommodation and things were fine,” she added.
After coming back to Kolkata, the entire trip seemed unreal to her. She said, it was not just about witnessing the beauty of nature or riding on a dangerous road, but it was all about knowing that she could do it. “It gives me a sense of pride and confidence,” she added. Next year, Anamika is planning to go to Leh and Ladakh.
