How many of you know that Indira Gandhi was assassinated on the same day she was born, according to Lunar calendar?
These are some facts about Indira that many people don’t know. Today, on the 100th birth anniversary of this great leader I will tell you 5 lesser known and interesting facets of India’s most powerful Prime Minister till date, Indira Gandhi!
Fact 1
Indira Gandhi was born on 19th November 1917 at 11.10PM in Allahabad. According to Hindu astrology, her Rashi was Capricorn, her star was Uttarashada and the month was Karthik, dark half. She was assassinated on 31st October 1984 at 9.15AM which falls on the same Rashi of Capricorn, Uttarashada star and on the month of Karthik, dark half! Very rarely such coincidences happen!!
Fact 2
Indira Gandhi had immense hatred towards her aunt Vijayalakshmi pundit. Vijayalakshmi was the sister of Nehru and she was very possessive about her brother. When Nehru married Kamala, Vijayalakshmi could not digest the fact that the attention of her brother shifted to Kamala. She used to taunt kamala and made fun of her humble origins. That ill treatment continued to Kamala’s daughter Indira Gandhi also. Once when Indira in her teenage at 16 years, was admiring herself in mirror, Vijayalakshmi passed on a comment that she looks so ugly and stupid. That remark broke her heart and throughout her life Indira felt she was ugly. She didn’t forgive her aunt for life time for this comment. Vijayalakshmi was not invited to the wedding of Sanjay Gandhi also.
Fact 3
Indira Gandhi is known for being a powerful Prime Minister who liberated East Pakistan by creating Bangladesh, declared emergency when there was threat to internal security of country but at home she was like any other mother in law. Sonia and Maneka were Indira’s daughters in law and Indira always favoured Sonia over menaka. Infact Sonia Gandhi used to manage the Kitchen of Indira Gandhi and used to cook all her favourite dishes.
Even on the day Indira was assassinated Sonia Gandhi was in the Kitchen and from the window she saw her mother in law being hit by bullets.
Fact 4
There used to be lots of household fights in her home between her and Maneka Gandhi. These fights increased once Sanjay Gandhi died in a plane crash in 1980. At that time Varun Gandhi was just 4 months old. After the death of Sanjay Gandhi Indira patched up with Maneka and showed sympathy and care. But that last just for an year and again fights started between mother in law and daughter in law.
Maneka’s out going attitude and socializing was unacceptable to Indira. When Maneka decided to leave Indira Gandhi and shift to her parents home in 1982, little varun was just 2 years old and Indira found it very tough to part with him. She had tears in her eyes as she saw Maneka leaving her home with little Varun.
Fact 5
There is an interesting story behind the Congress’s hand symbol. It was in 1978 that Congress party split for 2nd time and Indira Gandhi walked out of the Congress (R) the party that she was leading. She was searching for a symbol and coincidentally she visited Kanchi shankaracharya to take his blessings. She spent 9 minutes with Shankaracharya and he asked her why she has come. Indira replied that there were lot of evil forces acting against her and she wants a protection against them from him. He raised his hand and blessed her. Seeing his “hand” she got an idea of what her party symbol is going to be. From then on Congress (I) had “hand” as its symbol.
