When actor Apoorva Arora recently visited Delhi, she didn’t just indulge in the pleasures of home; she also delved into its rich history. Making a pit stop at Pir Ghaib — which got its name after a saint who had made the place, his home, vanished into thin air — in Kamla Nehru Ridge, near North Campus, she expresses her excitement, saying, “Just being here and knowing that it’s built by Feroz Shah is making me feel quite excited. I’ve heard that whichever monument has been built or renovated by Shah is considered haunted. The story of this place is also so cool; it might give people goosebumps, but for me, it generates a feeling of just being home.”
I have a lot of interest in haunted monuments. I’m a little scared, but it just has a vibe that makes me feel so welcome. I actually have Malcha Mahal on my list of places to explore in the city. I’ve heard so many stories about it!
The 27-year-old, known for her roles in movies such as OMG: Oh My God! (2012) and the web series College Romance, originally hails from Ramesh Nagar in the Capital but now resides in Mumbai. Despite moving away for work as a youngster, she confesses to still being deeply in love with Delhi’s rich heritage. She shares, “I never really got to explore Delhi as a teenager or young adult because I had moved to Mumbai and was working. But now, when I come back here, every time I have a new spot to explore and hang out at.”
She goes on, “The city of Delhi can never run out of options for someone who views these historical monuments as a piece of their legacy. Be it the Dara Shikoh Library at Kashmere Gate, Agrasen ki Baoli in Connaught Place, or Jama Masjid in Old Delhi.”
You look anywhere and there’s a historical significance, a lesson that makes us who we are, as Delhiites… And as an artiste, I feel it really brings out the best in me to connect the actual site with the stories I’ve heard from my father.
Arora also reveals her eagerness to explore places like Ghalib ki Haveli, which hold rich historical narratives, adding, “You look anywhere and there’s a historical significance, a lesson that makes us who we are, as Delhiites… and as an artiste, I feel it really brings out the best in me to connect the actual site with the stories I’ve heard from my father while growing up. Even now, my father would go to Red Fort for a walk, and it’s his favourite place. Having grown up here, I understand how heritage sites should be valued.”