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Swaraj Bhavan


Swaraj Bhavan, is a huge mansion located in the city of Allahabad, in Uttar Pradesh. The mansion was once owned by the Indian political leader Motilal Nehru in the 19th century. Motilal Nehru bought the house from Mr. Khan in the year 1900 and started his fight against the British for the Indian independence.  Motilal Nehru was then a famous lawyer and it is said that he bought the house for 19000 rupees then. The house was in a totally bad condition then, but the estate was huge. Motilal Nehru carried out extensive overhauling of the house and it said that the work took almost 10 years to complete.  He used to visit Europe and China frequently and used these visits to get the best furniture and other things for the house.

This beautiful place was the ancestral home of the Nehru-Gandhi family. It was formerly called Anand Bhavan which means Abode of Happiness. The former Prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi, was born in this mansion. It was Smt. Indira Gandhi who later donated Anand Bhavan to the nation in the year 1970.

Swaraj Bhavan is definitely one of the best kept museums in India. The mansion is beautiful with its huge pillared verandas and rooms with high ceilings. This is one place which had witnessed history being made; some are there in the Indian history and some others are known only to the people who had lived there during those times. Swaraj Bhavan is now managed by the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, Delhi. This massive mansion was owned originally by a Muslim leader and educationist of the 19th century, Mr. Syed Ahmad Khan.  Swaraj Bhavan has become a place of national interest now and the premise is used to conduct classes to teach arts and crafts to children of various age groups.

Collection

Swaraj Bhavan being the ancestral home of the Nehrus exhibits their lifestyle which was closely related to the freedom struggle and life thereafter. Apart from the furniture which was unique to that age there is a huge collection of books and memorabilia. There are many displays and even the will and testament of Jawaharlal Nehru is displayed on a huge board.

Galleries

There are specific galleries as they are displayed in different rooms. There is a room which displays the photos of the Nehru family. This museum has an underground room which was used as a secret meeting place for the leaders during the freedom movement.

Visitor Information

Swaraj Bhavan is open on all days except Monday from 9.30 AM to 5.00 PM. There is a group tour or a room by room audio-visual tour. Apart from this there is an audio-visual programme called “The Story of Independence.”  Entry fee is very nominal.

How To Reach

Allahabad is one of the important cities and a pilgrimage centre of Uttar Pradesh.  Therefore it is well connected by road, rail and air.

By Road

Allahabad is on National Highway 27 and 2 and is well connected with good roads to all major cities of the country.

By Train

Allahabad station is a busy station as many super fast and express train connect the city to different parts of the country.

By Air

The closest airport is at Bamrauli which is 10kms away from Allahabad. The flights from this airport are limited and the next closest airport is at Varanasi which is 150kms away.

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