Between 21 May, 1922 to 29 Jan, 1923, Jawaharlal Nehru read 55 books. Over the course of his lifetime, that number probably increased by many hundreds. Philosophy, history, environment and classical music – India’s first Prime Minister read everything with no discrimination.
So, if you’re looking for recommendations, there’s probably no better place than his private collection at the Nehru Memorial on Teen Murti Bhawan, organised for bibliophiles’ perusing pleasure. Past his private rooms, runs a corridor {or, more accurately, a showcase} of books that Nehru collected and acquired over the years and the display is open to all.
Head here after 9am and you can stay till 6.30pm – you’ll probably need to make a couple of visits to really get a feel for his collection. We’re not complaining though – a peek into the literature that shaped the mind of one of India’s greatest leaders is a pretty spectacular experience.