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Over the last ten years I have seen a marked change in Prayagraj: Daya Shankar Pandey

Mahima Shani Dev Ki actor, has his native place a few kilometres from Prayagraj but he used to spend all his vacations in the city. “As a child I remember, I used to be super excited to go home from Mumbai, where my father had shifted as I got the chance to stay in Prayagraj then known as Allahabad. We used to come by Mahanagari train that reached Allahabad Junction station at midnight.

I still remember on getting down there I used to rush to an AH Wheeler book stall on the platform and buy some books. This used to be my must do thing there. Another thing which I loved was the aloo puri sold by the thelas on the railway station.We used to stay in a hotel near the station, spend the night there and use to head for our ancestral home. I used to frequently visit the city and even stay with our relatives who still live in the city. In fact, all our shopping and medical check-up used to happen in Prayagraj only,” he says.

Daya Shankar Pandey (BCCL)
The Lagaan actor goes on to add that a stroll in the Civil Lines area was something he really loved doing. “The area near All Saints’ Cathedral has an old world charm to it. All the important buildings in the city remind us of the British era,” he says.
“Over the last ten years I have seen a marked change in the city. A lot of famous food chains have come up adding to the eating habits of the people. When I came during the Ardh Kumbh 2019, I saw the city all beautified and a lot of change in the infrastructure. There are flyovers now connecting the various parts of the city, the roads are broader which is really good. But I really want that the city should not lose its originality as this is what makes its special,” says Pandey.

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