Anand Bhawan and Swaraj Bhawan

Anand Bhawan and Swaraj Bhawan are two adjoining houses on Jawahar Lal Nehru Road in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, associated with the Nehru family and the Indian independence movement. Swaraj Bhawan was the earlier family home, donated to the nation by Motilal Nehru and used as a meeting place of the Indian National Congress; the larger Anand Bhawan was built next to it and became the family residence, later passing to a trust and opening as a museum. Jawaharlal Nehru and his daughter Indira Gandhi both grew up in these houses, and the rooms preserve furniture, books, letters, photographs and personal belongings from several generations. Visitors tour the drawing and dining rooms, the study and bedrooms, the rooms associated with Mahatma Gandhi's stays and the rooms used for political meetings, with exhibits explaining the freedom struggle. In the grounds, a planetarium operates separately and often requires a different ticket. Display labels are mainly in Hindi and English, and guides on site offer context. A visit takes one to one and a half hours, longer for those reading the documents closely. The complex is open from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM and closed on Mondays. The best time is morning, when the gardens are cool and the rooms are quiet, whereas weekends and school holidays bring groups of students. Photography of the exterior and gardens is common, while rules inside the rooms can vary and visitors should check at the entrance. The location in the Civil Lines area makes it easy to combine with the Allahabad Fort and the Sangam confluence in a half-day of Prayagraj sightseeing. Entry fees are very low, around ₹20 for Indian citizens and about ₹50 for foreign visitors.