Delhi, the political centre of the country and the country capital is home to stories from the past, dating back to the Mughal period as well as those that related to the former Prime Ministers and the Presidents of the country. From Raj Ghat to Gandhi Smriti, Nehru memorial to Swatrata Sanghrahalaya, the city is adorned by monuments and heritage that retell the social, political and the historical story of the country. One of them, however, is the Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum. One of the most visited Delhi attractions; this museum provides a detailed insight into the life and the death of India’s first lady Prime Minister-Indira Gandhi.
Where is it located
Located in1 Safdarjung Road, close to Safdarjung’s Tomb, the Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum is easily accessible from all parts of the city. The nearest metro link station of the transport stop is the Central Secretariat.
The museum
Previously the residence of the former late Prime Minister herself, the bungalow has an expansive green setting with manicured trees and narrow pathways. With shady green trees, plants, shrubs and flowering plants, the lawn and the garden speaks of a beauty of its own. The Indira Gandhi Memorial museum as such reflects the simple lifestyle of the Prime Minister and the artifacts that she used on a day-to-day basis. While the walls are adorned with pictures from her childhood, her marriage, children and their marriage, her playful time with the grandchildren, the artifacts that have been showcased display a grim picture of the way she was assassinated by her own bodyguards. The saree which she wore on the day of her assassination can still be seen with dried blood stains.
It is said that when she went out for a walk in her garden, her Sikh bodyguards shot her with 32 bullets, out of which just 22 could be retrieved by the doctors. While the guards were being arrested, she was rushed to the AIIMS, but lost to death on the way itself.
The pathway on which she was walking for the last time has been glass framed and the spot where she became unconscious still display the dried blood patch. Here, a memorial has been erected commemorating the late Prime Minister. Among the other things in the museum, one can also find photographs of Indira Gandhi’s sons-Rajiv and Sanjay Gandhi. You can also see the photography skills of Rajiv Gandhi who took it as a passion and did a special course in Photography too. However, on the other hand, one can also relive the grim moments of his death when one sees the almost torn shoe and the clothes of Rajiv Gandhi when he was assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber.
Do not miss the chance to visit this place if you are at Delhi as this is a storehouse of the history that the country has been carrying and will continue to carry for years to come.
