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From fiery tandoori chicken to everyday arhar dal, Sonia Gandhis upcoming memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' offers a personal glimpse into how Indian food, family traditions and the sari became part of her journey from Italy to India.
Food can often become the first language of belonging, and for Sonia Gandhi, that journey began with a plate of tandoori chicken. In an interesting glimpse into her upcoming memoir, 'Belonging: A Journey of Love', Sonia Gandhi recalls one of her early encounters with Indian cuisine, revealing that tandoori chicken was among the first Indian dishes she tried with her (now)late husband, Rajiv Gandhi. The vivid memory, shared by publisher HarperCollins India on Friday, offers a glimpse into the personal side of a woman whose life would become closely intertwined with India's political history. Describing her first experience with the dish, the memoir reads: "One of the first Indian dishes Sonia Gandhi tried with Rajiv was tandoori chicken. It was bright red, slightly charred and set her mouth on fire." What began as an unfamiliar culinary experience gradually became part of her everyday life. The excerpt goes on to describe how Sonia Gandhi eventually embraced family meals, which included rice, phulkas, vegetables, and mutton, fish or chicken served on thalis. And there was one everyday staple that became a constant. "And arhar dal, every day," the excerpt notes. https://x.com/HarperCollinsIN/status/2118569498412552325/photo/2 The food memories are among the personal details highlighted in the promotional material for 'Belonging', scheduled to release on November 10, 2026. The memoir promises to take readers beyond Sonia Gandhi's public identity, offering an intimate account of love, family, loss, cultural adaptation and her relationship with India. Food is not the only cultural detail that finds a place in the excerpts released by HarperCollins India. Another passage turns the spotlight on the Indian sari, a garment Sonia Gandhi admired long before she began wearing one herself. The memoir recalls her early relationship with the traditional Indian attire, beginning with the words: "Then, the sari." It continues: "Sonia Gandhi already thought it was one of the most elegant garments in the world. Wearing one herself was another matter." The excerpt also offers a fascinating detail about her engagement attire. Sonia chose jade green and pale yellow, with several safety pins holding the outfit together. Her wedding sari, however, carried a deeper historical connection. Its yarn had been spun by Jawaharlal Nehru in prison during India's freedom movement. These recollections bring together two seemingly everyday aspects of Indian life: food and clothing, to illustrate the personal experiences through which Sonia Gandhi became familiar with a country that would eventually become her home. 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' chronicles Sonia Gandhi's journey from her childhood in post-war Italy to her romance with Rajiv Gandhi and her eventual place in Indian public life. Born in Italy, Sonia was a 19-year-old student in Cambridge, England, when she met Rajiv Gandhi in 1965. The couple married on February 25, 1968. The memoir also revisits some of the most difficult chapters of her life, including the assassinations of her mother-in-law, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and her husband, Rajiv Gandhi. Through the memoir, she revisits the personal experiences and profound losses that shaped her life and her relationship with her adopted country. The announcement of the book also drew an emotional response from Sonia Gandhi's son, Rahul Gandhi. On the 82nd birth anniversary of his father, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi expressed happiness and pride about his mother's decision to share her story with readers. "I am happy, and so proud, that your story 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' will finally be read by the millions of people who love you. I know how hard it was for someone as private as you to tell the world your beautiful story. Today, on his birthday, I can see Papa smiling and looking down proudly at his beautiful Sonia," Rahul Gandhi said. With its recollections of first meals, traditional clothing, romance and personal loss, 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' promises a perspective on Sonia Gandhi that goes beyond political milestones. And perhaps its most relatable detail is also one of its simplest: a first taste of fiery tandoori chicken, followed by the comfort of a familiar family meal and a bowl of arhar dal. (ANI)
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