Nehru Park - History and Facts | History Hit

Nehru Park

Delhi, India

About Nehru Park

Nehru Park is an 80 acre green space in the Chanakyapuri Diplomatic Enclave of New Delhi, India, and is one of the much-needed green lungs in the midst of the Indian capital’s famously polluted streets.

History of Nehru Park

The park was established in 1969, and named for India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru and has become one of Delhi’s leading green areas in the fifty years since its creation. It regularly hosts festivals, arts events, and mass yoga classes – get there early to spy them.

Look out for the perhaps surprising life-size statue of Vladimir Lenin, which was unveiled on the 70th anniversary of Russia’s 1917 October Revolution by the Soviet Premier and the then Prime Minister for India. It remains a focal point for the Communist Party of India, who visit on Lenin’s birthday every year to commemorate the man himself. For context: India had sympathies with the Soviets in the Cold War, hence the background to this statue.

Nehru Park today

The green expanse of the park is popular with joggers and families at weekends, and its manicured lawns are a lovely place to while away the afternoon if the suffocating heat of the Indian summer gets too much. There’s a cafĂ© inside and an ancient Shiv temple for those who need a culture fix.

Getting to Nehru Park

The park is not desperately close to any Metro stops – the Pink and Yellow lines both have stations several kilometres away, whilst the mainline railway station Sarojini Nagar is about a 20 minute walk away. Your best bet is to hop in a taxi or tuk-tuk, which are easily found across Delhi.