The former home of the Nehru family, Anand Bhawan, has been converted into a museum that displays a variety of artifacts and items from the Indian independence movement. Motilal Nehru personally designed the two-story home.
Motilal Nehru, a well-known politician and leader of the independence struggle, created a new Nehru mansion when the former Swaraj Bhavan, the family’s home, began to serve as an Indian National Congress office. Along with a variety of artifacts from throughout the globe, the house is exquisitely furnished with hardwood furniture imported from China and Europe.
In addition to its construction, Anand Bhawan holds significant historical significance due to its significant role in Indian history, having been visited by numerous prominent freedom fighters who developed plots to expel the British. Indira Gandhi donated Anand Bhavan to the Indian government in 1970, with the intention of transforming it into a museum to preserve the Nehru family’s legacy.
Motilal Nehru built it in 1927 after donating Swaraj Bhavan, their former home, to the Indian National Congress so that it could serve as its headquarters. Co-designed by Motilal Nehru and an architect supplied by the Tata family, Jawaharlal Nehru had strong feelings for this mansion. Many people attended the funeral of Motilal Nehru, which was held at Anand Bhavan in 1931. Gandhi appeared as one of the pallbearers in a painting by Kanpur native Shyam Sundar Lal depicting Motilal Nehru’s funeral. Numerous politicians who oversaw India before and after independence called it home.
Anand Bhavan, the historic mansion that sheltered the Nehru family since 1929, was donated by Indira Gandhi in 1970 to the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund and now serves as the Jawahar Planetarium and Memorial Museum.
Indira Gandhi, the country’s president at the time, bequeathed Anand Bhavan to the Indian government in 1970. As a memorial to the Nehru family, it was later turned into a museum. The Nehru family’s memorabilia is on display at the museum, including many of the personal belongings that Pandit Nehru used while he was here.
Numerous photographs also document the Indian National Congress meetings and the gatherings of conspirators who used to come here to organize their actions against British rule. Additionally, there are other publications and historical documents that Pandit Nehru wrote and used during India’s struggle for independence.
In addition to being a historical museum, Anand Bhawan also features a science planetarium on the grounds of the estate. The Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund is in charge of running the planetarium, which was constructed in 1975. Long lines of schoolchildren frequently arrive here, as it was constructed to foster an interest in science among the city’s students. There are verdant gardens all around the planetarium. On November 14, the anniversary of his birth, the planetarium hosts the esteemed Jawaharlal Nehru Lecture every year.
Within the grounds of Anand Bhavan is a museum division called Swaraj Bhavan. It was owned by Motilal Nehru and formerly occupied by the Nehru family before being given to the Indian National Congress in the 1920s. Consequently, it became a crucial location in the struggle for Indian independence.
Jawaharlal Nehru’s daughter Indira Gandhi was born in this historic structure. The Swaraj Bhavan, which translates to “the Abode of Freedom,” is now a museum that houses antique furniture and other home furnishings from the Nehru era.
Five kilometers from the Civil Lines Bus Stand, in the heart of Allahabad, sits Anand Bhavan. To get to the mansion, you can take an autorickshaw or a taxi.
Timings : 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Closed on Mondays and Public holidays
Time Required : 2-3 hrs
Entry Fee : Museum: INR 20 for the ground floor, INR 70 for both the floors
Planetarium show: INR 60
Established in : 1930
Converted to a museum in 1970