Happy New Year!

Wishing you peace, love and joy in 2009.

Happy New Year and Happy Travels!

The Sodha Travel Family

Mumbai Attacks

We are deeply saddened and horrified by the terrorist attacks in Mumbai - no words, written or spoken, can even begin to describe the emotions we feel. It is an unfortunate reminder of how fundamentalists seek to destroy the beauty of life. Stay strong, India.

Alexander Sinh Sodha!

We are so excited to welcome the newest addition to the Sodha Travel family. Our son, Alexander Sinh Sodha, was born on November 5 at 8:34 am. Weighing 8 pounds 2 ounces, he has beautiful black hair and looks exactly like his Daddy!

Happy Diwali!!

Diwali is the Festival of Lights - a time when Indians worldwide light lamps to uplift spiritual darkness and signify good over evil in every human being. Traditionally observed by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs, Diwali is now considered a national holiday and enjoyed by most Indians, regardless of faith.

Wishing everyone a Happy Diwali!

SAWERA Fundraiser - a success!!

Thank you to all who participated in making this year's SAWERA fundraiser a success! We sold over 200 tickets and had an engaging live auction and donation call that resulted in the much needed support for the women and children. In these tough economic times, without the direct support of the community, non-profit organizations are the first to suffer a loss. We sincerely appreciate the generosity of all and look forward to the 3rd annual fundraiser in 2009! Until then, please continue to remember the women and children of SAWERA.

Delhi Bomb Blasts

On Saturday, September 13, multiple bomb blasts shook the city of Delhi. Unfortunately, extremists continue to terrorize the country in an effort to interrupt its vibrancy of life. The Indians, ever resilient, bounced back within 24 hours - a strong demonstration of their unwillingness to be affected by fear or violence.

At this time, we have made no changes to our tours or customized itineraries that include Delhi and its surrounding areas. Safety is our priority and no current information displays an additional threat of terrorist activity. We will continue to monitor the daily updates and make any changes, as necessary.

And to the residents of Delhi - we wish you a journey of healing and peace.

United States: Largest Number of India Tourists

Almost 800,000 American tourists visited India last year - more than any other country! In total, India had more than 5 million total tourists worldwide. Here is a breakdown:


USA - 799,000
UK - 796,000
Bangladesh - 480,000
Canada - 208,000
France - 204,000
Sri Lanka - 204,000
Germany - 184,000
Japan - 145,000
Australia - 135,000
Malaysia - 112,000
All Foreign Tourists - 5,080,000

We are so excited by these figures. Let's continue with sharing the love for India!

2nd Annual SAWERA Fundraiser - October 10, 2008

Travel Blogs

Here is another of our favorite pictures, taken in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, outside the Swaminarayan Temple - just one more poetic interaction between East and West:

Many of you have asked about a good place to start your travel blogs - not only to share your experiences but to gather information prior to your trip! Of course, we are happy to answer ANY questions you have about your experience, regarding currency, converters, culture and beyond. However, we understand and encourage you to network prior to your departure, as there is never any harm in feeling too prepared.

We love http://www.travelblog.org/ - a wonderful resource from travelers worldwide. This site usually highlights more info to and from backpackers and trekkers.

Also, http://www.indiamike.com/ is a non-commercial site that shares some fascinating tales about the cultural comedies that often occur during your Indian experience.

Please continue to send us your blogs and stories - we thoroughly enjoy each and every one!

Why We Travel to India

In last month's issue of Little India magazine, Shekhar Deshpande wrote a compelling article about why people travel to India. I encourage you to read his perspective on why immigrants and others return to the subcontinent:

http://www.littleindia.com/news/154/ARTICLE/2818/2008-05-10.html

We welcome your responses to the article!