She must have known somewhere and must have felt turmoil and conflicted at what she was doing and what she was allowing her son to do. By early 1976 transiting Saturn was opposite and transiting Chiron square her Natal moon in Capricorn in the 6th. Yet she did not have the will to resist Sanjay or put an end to the force of destruction she had unleashed.

At what point does a curse get constellated? When do the gods say enough! Did Hera begin to simmer when Nehru usurped his only child to a cause he considered above everything else, including the family?

Did Apollo get angry when Indira could not find the strength within her to escape the shackles of family ties that denied her own individual needs. Or was it the Goddess Durga who got enraged when an ordinary mortal was deified by a misguided people?

Indira could have been condoned for her human fallibility if even until then, she had paused, reflected and perhaps withdrawn from politics, for at least a few years. But she kept on believing herself to be above any law, in fact she was the law and her younger son was her instrument of justice.

Sanjay’s own plan during the Emergency, which was daring, progressive and badly needed in a country like India--increasing adult literacy, abolishing the dowry system, family planning to reduce population growth—appealed to the public. But instead of applying his popularity and plan to constructive, diligent use he ran amok with the power and the capital Delhi, became his favourite playing field.

Sanjay was rapidly destroying all that Indira had done by his total disregard for the law, by abusing her office and power and claiming it almost as his inheritance. Yet he was the person she trusted and confided in most. He exerted an almost Svengali like hold over her. Rajiv and his friends were openly critical of the Emergency and he even contemplated leaving for Italy.

Despite the notoriety, Sanjay became one of the most glamorous, powerful and charismatic figures in India at the time and it was apparent that he would be Indira’s political heir.

In 1977 despite Sanjay’s disagreement Indira, who still retained some of the democratic values she learned from her father, announced general elections, released most of the political prisoners and ended press censorship.

In late 1976 and 1977 Indira was going through her Saturn return, transiting Saturn was squaring her MC and her natal Sun, opposite natal Uranus, conjunct her Ascendant. It seems Cronos had rewarded her years of sacrifice and duty by virtually handing her the Prime Ministership but her abuses, her arrogance had deeply offended him. He took away what he had given when both Indira and Sanjay, who also fought the elections for a seat in Parliament, along with the Congress party suffered a total, humiliating defeat.

The family had to move into a house that a friend vacated for them. All the perks, the assistants, the staff of the Prime Minister’s offices were gone. Sonia took over the running of the household, including doing most of the shopping and cooking. Indira sometimes helped with the chores but Maneka, Sanjay’s wife, did nothing.

The Opposition party which came into power, the Janata Dal, began a systematic and ultimately self-destructive persecution of Indira and her family. It was not an ideology but a universal dislike of Indira that had got the various parties together and eventually the infighting for power led to the total collapse of the government by mid 1979.

In an incredible turn of events, Indira Gandhi’s popularity started rising soon after she lost the elections and she began touring the country offering something of an apology to her electorate for the extremes committed during the Emergency years. And such was her charisma that not only did they forgive her instantly but in some places begged her forgiveness for voting against her!

By now communal riots, violence and political unrest were breaking out in several states. These were directly the result of Indira’s policies of total control during her 11 years in power, when she ruled India more like a sometimes benevolent despot than as an elected representative of a democracy.

That year Indira was going through her second Uranus square, with transiting Uranus conjunct her IC. It was as if a battle of wills was going on between Cronos and his father Ouranos over Indira. And although neither Saturn nor Uranus can be seen as exactly indulgent, they clearly saw in Indira a favourite daughter.

The Indian masses saw her as the saviour and the only leader who could hold the country together. Their belief and probably Indira’s own belief in that myth was validated when she stood again for elections and swept her party and herself once more to victory.

In 1980, when she again became Prime Minister of India, transiting Uranus was conjunct her natal Sun. This time, Sanjay Gandhi too won his seat and became a Member of Parliament, legitimising his power for the first time. Along with Sanjay won a lot of his unscrupulous associates.

A son, named Varun, was born to Sanjay on March 13, 1980.

On June 23rd, 1980 Sanjay went for one of his regular flying sessions and despite his lack of experience with a new two-seater plane, went up in the air to do some aerobatic stunts, along with a reluctant instructor.

A few minutes past 8 am, the plane was seen making loops in the sky and then went into a dive. Sanjay must have intended to pull it up but lost control. The plane plunged into the ground, killing both men instantly. Sanjay was 33 years old.

Indira returned to work within a few days but Sonia Gandhi later said that Indira, “for all her courage and composure was broken in spirit.”⁸

Apparently, the war between Uranus and Saturn was not over—transiting Saturn was square her natal Pluto, opposing her natal Chiron in the 8th, transiting Chiron was squaring natal Saturn, transiting Pluto was conjunct her Mars in the 1st.

Sanjay had inherited what appears to be a family curse but by his own behaviour, became it’s first victim. He was dynamic and visionary, was born into power and prestige, had lived most of his life in the PM’s house, had had all the opportunities in the world to actually be the next leader of India. He could have done great things for India and with his life but that would have required some reflection, wisdom and respect for others none of which he seemed to have possessed.

Also he had help. Indira could have restrained him, could have taught him what was required to be a true leader, she had learned that from her father. But by turning a blind eye to his misdeeds, by letting him believe he was invincible, she cut him off from any sense of reality or responsibility. She helped him set the family curse in motion.

It was a tragedy and people wept at his death but there was also relief. “Years later B K Nehru (Indira’s cousin) expressed what so many felt but could not say in June 1980—that Sanjay’s death far from being a catastrophe was actually ‘the best thing that could happen to India’.”⁹

Rajiv became the next member of the family to come under enormous pressure to replace Sanjay. He was still a pilot with Indian Airlines, India’s main domestic carrier and had resolutely stayed out of the political world.

Just as Nehru had not considered releasing Indira to lead a life of her own, Indira did nothing to prevent Rajiv from sacrificing his own needs to help her. She was aware of his torment, that he had no qualification for a high office in the government, that Sonia would be miserable.

Rajiv had 5 planets and Chiron in Virgo, the nodal axis in Cancer Capricorn, Saturn in Cancer in the 11th. There was an overwhelming sense of duty and service towards country and family. He had almost no chance of being able to resist the enormous pressure to what would indeed be to sacrifice his personal desires, his life and his immediate family, to the country.

After seeing him torn apart for a year, Sonia could bear it no longer and resigned herself, resentful as she was, to his joining politics. Rajiv stood for elections from his brother’s vacated seat and won. He was sworn in as a Member of Parliament on August 17 1981.

Rajiv’s popularity soon began to match that of his brothers’. Rajiv was not only very handsome but because of his diffidence and thoughtfulness towards others, he came to be genuinely liked. He radiated an almost spell-binding charm with his Leo Ascendant and Sun in the first.

Maneka, Sanjay’s widow had wanted to stand for her husband’s seat and was bitter about Rajiv having been chosen instead of her. She made her bitterness public and couldn’t continue to live in the same house with Indira or in fact Sonia. In early 1982 she left the Prime Minister’s residence with her son.

She joined the opposition party and for a brief period also became a minister.

On June 6, 1982, Indira authorised an attack by the Army on the Golden Temple in the city of Amritsar in Punjab. The temple, the holiest religious shrine for the Sikh community, had been taken over by heavily-armed militants. In the ensuing battle 90 soldiers and 712 Sikh extremists were killed along with civilians. The attack on the temple was seen as one of gross desecration by the entire Sikh community.

The fear of retaliation and threat to Indira’s life and that of her family became immediate. Security was increased around the Gandhi family but on 31st October 1984, Indira was assassinated by her own bodyguards.

Transiting Saturn was exactly conjunct her IC that day. Transiting Saturn was square natal Saturn and Chiron conjunct natal Jupiter in the 10th. It seemed Cronos had finally taken away what he had given to Indira.

Rajiv was in another city when he was informed and the moment he arrived, even before he went to the hospital he knew what the Congress leaders who’d come to meet him expected of him. “Whether he wanted it or not, Rajiv Gandhi would become the next Prime Minister of India.”¹⁰

In the hospital, Sonia sobbed and begged him not to agree. “They were hugging each other and he was kissing her forehead and telling her, ‘it’s my duty. I have to do it.’ Sonia said he would be killed. He had no choice, he said, he would be killed anyway.”11

Rajiv Gandhi was sworn in as Prime Minister of India that evening. He was going through his mid-life transits, transiting Chiron was square his natal Moon, transiting Saturn conjunct his IC, square Asc, square Sun. Transiting Uranus was exactly squaring his natal Venus. Transiting North Node squaring his Sun was marking his own tryst with destiny.

Rajiv was not only having to deal with his own grief but placed in the impossible position of having to take up a job he was not qualified for. He had no experience of political office, of government and was completely out of his depth dealing with the manipulative, devious and corrupt politicians of even his own Congress party.

He was assassinated on May 21 1991 by a suicide bomber in a southern city of India.

For six years after that Sonia became a virtual recluse and had nothing to do with politics. But the Congress party was floundering, it’s power base eroding steadily. There were only one or two people who had the skills to lead the party but not the charisma or the Gandhi name.

They were desperate after losing very badly in the 1997 general elections and mounted intense pressure on Sonia. In 1998 she became the Congress party president and soon after that became a Member of Parliament. The Congress party lost the general elections but thanks to her presence, got more seats than otherwise would have.

In the general elections held in 2004, in a stunning upset the Congress party, led by Sonia defeated the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

But in an equally extraordinary move Sonia declined the role of Prime Minister offered to her. Whatever her motives, that act of renunciation may well cease or change the course of the curse that has dogged the family for generations.

The year before Rajiv died, Sonia had her progressed New Moon and Progressed Moon was opposite Progressed Pluto the month he died in 1991. The New Moon marked the ending and beginning of a new cycle in her life. The opposition to Pluto marked her descent, like the Sumerian goddess Inanna into Hades’ underworld.

In 1998 she had her Progressed first quarter Moon and Progressed Moon was square progressed Pluto. She emerged from the underworld, perhaps with more wisdom and humility.

In 2004, when she won the election, Sonia had her Progressed Full Moon and the Progressed Moon was conjunct Progressed Pluto.

Pluto’s activation during all these crucial periods in Sonia’s chart is a clear statement of the enormous role fate has played and continues to play in her life. Pluto in India’s chart at 17 Leo is exactly trine Sonia’s natal Sun at 17 sag. India’s Chiron at 18 sag is conjunct her sun—like the centaur, she was an innocent bystander who got wounded.

Sonia’s children have joined politics out of their own conscious volition but may well be unconsciously pulled by the family’s legacy. Priyanka’s sun is in Capricorn, her Moon in Cancer, the nodal axis and MC, IC in Aquarius Leo, another of the Gandhi family’s signature. And although she hasn’t yet joined politics officially, is believed to have the charisma of her grandmother. Rahul doesn’t seem to be carrying any of the family’s signature (I do not have his birth time so cannot say more) but is being seen as the one who might take over from his mother in the future.

Sonia was a victim of the Gandhi family curse and for years she accepted what seemed like punishment with dignity. But has she truly learned anything from the past mistakes of it’s members, has she really learned the humility that would be so necessary for the curse to be expiated?

It must be difficult if not impossible for her not to feel some inflation when she is seen as a redeemer by millions of people, just as it was for Indira. But this road, we have seen, leads to destruction. And Sonia and her children now have the opportunity to change the course of their family’s tragic history, if they can find the courage and foresight to do so.