Deekshha Sonalkar Tham, who has been part of projects like Kaise Mujhe Tum Mil Gaye, Tenali Rama, Choices, and Hasmukh, to name a few, is an avid traveller. But being a traveller doesn’t mean she explores like a tourist; in fact, she enjoys every place like a local and absorbs the soul it has to offer.
“Travelling overall makes me want to keep working hard to be able to experience the world. It motivates me to maintain the lifestyle I am currently living. I like living like a local when I travel. Although I do try to fit in one or two tourist attractions, living like a local helps me experience the true essence of a place,” she said.
And her experiences are diverse—“From the Ritz in Bangkok to a shared Airbnb house in Orlando, I have experienced travel both ways,” she shared with a smile.
Food is another big part of her travel diary. “I love trying local cuisine, so street food over a restaurant, always. The street food in Bangkok has hands down been the best, but I also miss the croque monsieur from the little curb-side café near the Champs-Élysées,” Deekshha revealed.
She recently took a trip to Thailand with her sister and shared, “She lives in London, and I don’t get to spend time with her often, so this trip was our first of many.”
Her favourite city that feels like a second home is London, but she was quick to add, “A little part of me also belongs to Bangkok.”
Travel for Deekshha has also given her some unforgettable spiritual experiences. “My family has always been devotees of Sri Paramahansa Yogananda. Years ago, there was a movie released about his life and the book Autobiography of a Yogi. I was walking the streets of Brussels when my travel companions entered a store, and I decided to continue down the path. A couple of stores later, I saw the poster of the movie in a window. The shopkeeper, a middle-aged woman, saw me intrigued and welcomed me in. She spoke about how she had met Guruji’s nephew, and we exchanged stories. She even gave me a picture of Radha Krishna as a souvenir, which I cherish to this day. Maybe I needed a sign in life, and it was the universe telling me that in a foreign land, He’s still got my back.”
While she loves being a traveller princess during her international travels, she is also adventurous. “I love trekking, so I do that when I go with friends around the state of Maharashtra,” she said.
Being a public figure does come with its own challenges. “Within India, I do get looks, but it’s only been overwhelming once or twice. Internationally, it’s much easier to be anonymous. There are always people who think they’ve seen you somewhere but cannot place you in the moment. It’s quite cute,” Deekshha ended.
