Himachal Pradesh government mulls turning Nathuram Godse trial venue into tourist attraction

Over six decades after Mahatama Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse was tried, the Himachal Pradesh government is mulling to turn the venue of the proceedings - Peterhoff building - in this hill station into a tourist attraction by setting up a museum.

"We are thinking of setting up a museum and recreate the trial scene in a portion of Peterhoff presently owned by Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) to highlight the important historical aspect for visitors," HPTDC managing director Subhashish Panda said.

Efforts will be made to bring back artifacts of that era, which are lying in other hotels and government buildings, as part of the rich collection of the proposed museum, he said.
       
Nathuram Godse was tried in the building during 1948-49 and convicted. Shimla was then part of united Punjab.

The HPTDC MD said the move would help boost tourism in the Queen of the Hills.
      
Deputy general manager of Peterhoff Vijay Sharma said a signboard would be put to highlight the history of the building, including the trial of Godse.

The Peterhoff complex is located in the heart of city's Chaura Maidan, about one kilometre from the state assembly building.

A witness to important periods of history, Peterhoff housed at least seven viceroys and governor generals during British rule in India. The first viceroy to move into Peterhoff was the Earl of Elgin in April 1863.
       
After independence the sprawling building served as Punjab High Court from October 1947 to 1955 before it got shifted to its present location in Chandigarh.

After Himachal Pradesh was carved out of Punjab and declared the 18th state of the country in 1971, Peterhoff served as Raj Bhawan for a long time.

A devastating fire in 1991 gutted Peterhoff after which the Raj Bhawan shifted to Barnes Court where it is now located.

Peterhoff was renovated and in 1998 it was transformed into a luxury heritage hotel owned by HPTDC.
       
The BJP's 'chintan baithak' took place at Peterhoff in August last years when the decision to expel its then senior leader Jaswant Singh from the party for writing a book on Pakistan founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah was taken.