Anand Bhavan and the Nehru family story
Anand Bhavan is a large two-storey house in Prayagraj, built around 1930 as the Nehru family's new home after the lawyer Motilal Nehru gave the earlier family house, renamed Swaraj Bhavan, to the Indian National Congress. Indira Gandhi later gave Anand Bhavan to the nation, and it opened as a museum.
The rooms on show include Jawaharlal Nehru's study and bedroom, the room where Mahatma Gandhi stayed on his visits and the hall where Congress leaders met. Glass panels let you look into the rooms, with books, furniture and personal belongings still in place. Photographs and letters trace the independence struggle and the family's arrests and campaigns.
Next door, Swaraj Bhavan, the older family house, and a small planetarium are also open. Your guide gives a balanced account of the Nehrus' role in India's history. Anand Bhavan is usually closed on Mondays; check current status before you travel.
Questions travellers ask
Good to know
What is Anand Bhavan?
Anand Bhavan is the former home of the Nehru family in Prayagraj, now a museum. Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi lived here, and it was a meeting place for leaders of the independence movement, including Mahatma Gandhi. It contains the family's rooms, books, letters and photographs.
Is Anand Bhavan open on Mondays?
Anand Bhavan is usually closed on Mondays and some public holidays, and open from morning to late afternoon on other days. There is a small entry fee for the upper floor. Check current status before you travel, as timings can change.
How long does a visit to Anand Bhavan take?
About an hour for the house and gardens, and an extra 30 minutes if you add Swaraj Bhavan next door. It fits easily into a day trip from Varanasi alongside a boat to the Sangam and a visit to Khusro Bagh.
Also in Prayagraj
More hours to plan around
