Sonia Gandhi recalls Diwali at Safdarjung Road with Priyanka, ahead of memoir launch
Synopsis
Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra revisited six decades of Diwali traditions at the historic 1, Safdarjung Road home — from diyas along the pond to Rajiv Gandhi's Chandni Chowk firecracker runs — in a video posted just before Sonia's memoir launch. The clip is as much a teaser for 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' as it is a festival greeting.
Key Takeaways
Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra shared Diwali memories from the 1, Safdarjung Road residence on 8 November 2026 .
The video was posted on Sonia Gandhi's official X account , filmed in the garden of late PM Indira Gandhi 's former home.
Priyanka recalled late PM Rajiv Gandhi taking her and Rahul Gandhi to Chandni Chowk to buy firecrackers.
Sonia Gandhi noted the family's tradition of Kashmiri food and sweet rice on festive occasions, a tradition she said continues today.
The video coincides with the upcoming launch of Sonia Gandhi's memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' .
Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, accompanied by her daughter and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on Sunday, 8 November 2026, shared memories of Diwali celebrations at the Gandhi family residence going back to 1968. The nostalgic exchange was filmed at the garden of 1, Safdarjung Road — the former home of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi — and posted on Sonia Gandhi's official X account.
The video comes days ahead of the launch of Sonia Gandhi's memoir, 'Belonging: A Journey of Love', adding a personal, reflective dimension to the festive season.
Memories of Diyas and Festive Traditions
Recounting the atmosphere of Diwali at the household, Sonia Gandhi said: 'Diwali was always beautiful. At the entrance there used to be an idol of Lord Ganesh, which is now in my house.' She recalled that the family would first light a diya beside the Ganesh idol before illuminating the rest of the home.
Describing the décor of an era before string lights became commonplace, she noted: 'We had diyas everywhere, along the pond, all along the roof, verandah and wherever there was a path. It was very pretty.' Priyanka Gandhi confirmed that both Holi and Diwali were major celebrations at the residence, drawing people from all walks of life to the garden.
Firecrackers, Chandni Chowk and Rahul Gandhi
When asked about firecrackers, Sonia Gandhi laughingly remarked: 'They used to go berserk with these firecrackers.' Priyanka Gandhi recalled that her father, late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, would take her and her brother Rahul Gandhi — now the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha — to Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi to buy firecrackers. 'We used to go to old Delhi to buy crackers,' she said. Sonia Gandhi, for her part, noted a personal preference for phuljhadis (sparklers) over louder varieties.
Blue Skies, Kashmiri Food and a Changed Delhi
Both mother and daughter paused on what has changed over the decades. 'Weather at that time was beautiful, blue skies and all which you hardly see now. It was lovely,' Sonia Gandhi said — a remark that resonated with concerns about Delhi's worsening air quality around Diwali in recent years. Priyanka Gandhi echoed the sentiment: 'I remember the blue sky, here, in this garden.'
On the culinary traditions of the household, Sonia Gandhi noted: 'On festivals we always used to have Kashmiri food and that sweet rice, which we still make.' The reference to Kashmiri cuisine reflects the influence of late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's family heritage on the household's festive table.
Context: Memoir Launch and the Safdarjung Road Legacy
The video's timing is deliberate. Sonia Gandhi's forthcoming memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' is expected to offer a rare first-person account of life within one of India's most prominent political families. The 1, Safdarjung Road residence itself carries deep historical significance — it served as home to Indira Gandhi during her tenure as Prime Minister and remains a site of personal memory for the Gandhi family.
Sonia Gandhi also extended greetings to the nation on the occasion of Diwali, rounding off a rare and personal public moment for the veteran Congress leader.
Point of View
It functions as both a festive greeting and a soft publicity push. For the Congress, humanising its first family through nostalgia serves a political purpose: reinforcing emotional connection with voters at a time when the party is rebuilding its national narrative under Rahul Gandhi's leadership. What is notably absent from the clip is any political commentary — a deliberate choice that keeps the focus on legacy and memory rather than the present. The blue-sky remark, however, inadvertently touches on a live policy debate around Delhi's air quality and Diwali firecracker bans, lending the reminiscence an unintended contemporary edge.
NationPress
8 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Sonia Gandhi say about Diwali celebrations at the Gandhi household?
Sonia Gandhi recalled that Diwali at the 1, Safdarjung Road residence was marked by diyas placed along the pond, roof, verandah and pathways, with a Ganesh idol at the entrance that now resides at her current home. She described the atmosphere as very beautiful and noted that the family served Kashmiri food on festive occasions.
Where was the Diwali video filmed and where was it posted?
The video was filmed in the garden of 1, Safdarjung Road in New Delhi, the former residence of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It was posted on Sonia Gandhi's official X account on 8 November 2026.
What is Sonia Gandhi's memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' about?
'Belonging: A Journey of Love' is Sonia Gandhi's forthcoming memoir, expected to offer a personal account of her life within the Gandhi political family. The Diwali video was released in the days leading up to the memoir's launch.
What did Priyanka Gandhi Vadra recall about Diwali as a child?
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra recalled that her father, late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, used to take her and her brother Rahul Gandhi to Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi to buy firecrackers. She also remembered the blue skies over the Safdarjung Road garden during childhood Diwalis.
Who is Sonia Gandhi and what is her current role in the Congress party?
Sonia Gandhi is the Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) and one of the most influential figures in the Indian National Congress. She served as Congress president for over two decades and is the widow of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
