Tharoor shares his sambhar origin theory, internet says ‘loved his analogy’

CONGRESS MP Shashi Tharoor has once again left the internet both amused and intrigued-- this time with a history lesson on one of South India’s most beloved dishes, sambhar.

Speaking at the South Side Story festival, Tharoor was asked if he enjoyed Delhi’s version of the dish. His answer quickly turned into a tale blending culinary history with a dash of humour.

“Look, you guys have to understand that sambhar was invented in the South because of the North,” Tharoor began.

“When the Marathas conquered Tanjavur in Tamil Nadu, they parked Sambhaji as a Maharaja there and he was missing his daal. We didn’t have any of his daal stuff in South India, so the cooks tried to approximate something for him that they thought might please his palate — and they named it for him. Sambhar was named for Sambhaji, the Maratha Peshwa of Tanjavur. And that’s how it came about.”

With his trademark wit, Tharoor added, “So whatever you guys do to sambhar can’t be worse than what we did to daal.”

Clips of the moment are now circulating online, with social media users reacting with everything from hearty laughs to debates over the authenticity of his theory. Some called it “classic Tharoor storytelling,” while others called him out for calling Maratha from North India. 

A user wrote, “Just like any South Indian, even Maharashtra is North India.”

Another user wrote, “Marathas were from the West, not north, but loved his analogy.”

The third user wrote on Instagram, “Always witty. Love the way he says, every time!”

“Sir needs to know that Maharashtra is in the west and not the North,” the fourth wrote.