Nehru Memorial Museum and the dilution of a memory

The setting is idyllic. Off Teen Murti roundabout is a verdant space surrounded by decades-old trees. Right behind the home of India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, a Prime Ministers’ Museum is coming up brick by brick. This new museum is scheduled to be completed by March 2020, the Centre has announced. A few people working at the site, though, tell this reporter that the deadline is not achievable with work having commenced on only one of the structures, with two more to go. 

The whole project has been a contentious one. The Congress and other critics have seen it as a way of diluting the legacy of Nehru, which the present government is also accused of attempting to smear.

Construction work at the new site.

In the grand old building of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, though, the negative narrative about Nehru has not adversely affected the number of visitors. The guest book shows pages of visitors—some families, some friends—coming even on a hot muggy day in July. We met a few families who had come to look at the history “of a man who had fought for Independence”, and others jogging their brains before a tough general knowledge exam.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi clarified this week why his government believes there is a need for such a museum. He accused “a section of political class” of trying to “erase the memories of all former prime ministers”, calling it a move which would go beyond “political untouchability”. 

For now, only one floor of the Nehru Museum is open to the public, as the rest are under renovation. According to the new design plan—suggested by MJ Akbar, who serves as Vice Chairman of the Executive Council—the ground floor will depict important junctures of Nehru’s life till 1947, including his time at Harrow School in London, anecdotes from his days in prison and his famous “tryst with destiny” speech. 

At present, you can only get a glimpse of Nehru’s early life, along with the books he authored and tokens presented by various nations; then his bedroom, gloomily marked: “He died in this room”. After this you are confronted with very out-of-place exhibits pertaining to former prime ministers PV Narasimha Rao and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. This is followed by a section for Mahatma Gandhi, the fight for Independence and its champions. 

According to the new design plan, the ground floor will depict Nehru’s life till 1947.

Visitors Brijmohan and Shashi Garg voice their opinion about the space and call it a “misuse”. They also point to the lack of context for the exhibits, which could have easily been solved with audio and visual backdrops. There is also an obvious lack of air-conditioning, which the Garg couple says is one of the reasons why their grandson lost interest. They are also dismayed that photographs and documents are not framed, making them “vulnerable to the elements”.  

But Brijmohan does not think a prime ministers’ museum beside Nehru’s is a crime. In fact, he believes that others “who had sacrificed their lives for the country should be projected”, and not just one man. To pay true homage to our history, he says, the fight for Independence and the consequent Partition must be well recorded. “I still remember how trains coming into Old Delhi would have dead bodies lying in them.” He believes it’s a good thing to revisit all crannies of the past. 

Perhaps his wishes will come true in the “grand” new museum, complete with modern facilities.

Three younger individuals preparing for their civil services exams and discussing history animatedly, have varying opinions on the museum itself. Maneesh thinks that having Gandhi on the same floor is an insult to both Gandhi and Nehru. His friend Garima counters that by saying the fight for Independence would scarcely be possible without the mention of the former. Anirudh agrees that the curation of the space is not exemplary and perhaps a new plan will bring in much-needed cohesiveness. 

New sections will cover the relationship between Nehru and Gandhi.

The new plans aim to have an even deeper structuring of the relationship between the two with a section titled “Beginning relation of ‘father’ and ‘son’” and, interestingly enough, sections marked “Differences” (covering technology, village, self-reliance and crafts) and “Unity” (which includes Ahimsa, unity of India, coexistence, freedom of belief). 

A section is also being added under the title “Impact of Gandhiji” showing handicrafts, rural community work and “Buddha as heritage”. Such displays in a space marked for Nehru will certainly raise eyebrows. 

Moreover, will the prime ministers’ museum take away from the grandeur of this one? Even if it doesn’t, exhibitions without the backing of newer, more interactive techniques will render it less attractive than one built with modern capabilities. As per Modi’s promise, it will be a “grand” one. 

As of now, visitors still feel Nehru Memorial Museum is an important place to visit and people still flock with their children to see history in a tangible personal space.