Culture and history · Kurseong
Netaji's house at Giddapahar
Visit the hill house that Sarat Chandra Bose bought in 1922 and where his brother Subhas was held under house arrest in 1936. Small, quiet rooms of photographs and letters, and a garden that looks out over the plains.
Giddapahar is the hill rising above Kurseong to the south-west, about 4 km from the bazaar. The Bose house is a modest two-storey building in a garden of old trees. Sarat Chandra Bose, the lawyer and Congress leader, bought it in 1922 as a family retreat. His younger brother Subhas visited several times, and in 1936, after returning from Europe, the British held him here under house arrest for several months.
Inside, the rooms show family photographs, copies of letters and a few pieces of the family's furniture. During his confinement he wrote a number of political letters and letters to Emilie Schenkl, whom he later married. It is a small museum, so give it an hour and read the captions slowly. Opening days and hours change; check current status before you go.
Walk or drive back down via Eagle's Crag. The road gives long views over the plains towards Siliguri, best on a clear morning between October and March.
Cost: Free or a small fee · car ₹400–600 return from bazaar
Questions people ask
Good to know
Why was Netaji held at Kurseong?
Subhas Chandra Bose returned to India from Europe in 1936 and was arrested. The British government then kept him under house arrest at his brother Sarat Chandra Bose's house at Giddapahar in Kurseong, away from political centres. He wrote many letters during that time, which the museum displays in copies.
How do I get to the Netaji Museum from Kurseong?
It is about 4 km uphill from the bazaar on the Giddapahar road. A local car costs about ₹400–600 return with waiting time. Fit walkers can go up in 1–1.5 hours and come down via Eagle's Crag. There is no regular shared jeep on this road.
Is there an entry fee at the Netaji Museum?
Entry has been free or a small fee in recent years. The museum closes on some days of the week and on certain holidays, and hours can change. Check current status before you travel, and avoid arriving in the lunch hour when staff may be away.
