Santiniketan

Santiniketan is a city in Birbhum district of West Bengal. It forms one urban agglomeration with Bolpur.

The town is home to Visva Bharati, founded by Rabindranath Tagore in 1921. Visva Bharati was declared a central university in 1951. It has produced such diverse personalities as Indira Gandhi and Amartya Sen and has been home to great artists and musicians. Around 1.2 million visitors visit Santiniketan annually.

• Rabindra Bhaban Museum. Open on working days from 10:30-16:30. Open on Sundays. Closed on Wednesadys and Thursdays. During Poush Mela the place is over-crowded and queues for entry are long. The museum hall is called Bichitra. Constructed in Tagore's birth centenary year 1961. There are original manuscripts, letters, documents, medals (including Nobel Prize medallion), plaques, certificates, paintings, photographs etc. The five houses used by Tagore during his life named Udayan, Konark, Shyamali, Punascha and Udichi. No photography in Rabindra Bhavana and Uttarayan complex. Combined entry fee for Uttarayan complex and Rabindra Bhaban Museum is ₹10 for students, ₹50 for Indians and ₹300 for foreigners.
• Chhatimtala. Prayer place (under the "Chhatim" tree) of Maharshi Devendranath Tagore
• Brahmo Mandir. Upasana Griha, constructed in 1891
• Tagore's ashrama. Closed on Wednesdays.. One has to walk through the area. Guides are generally available outside Uttarayan Complex/Rabindra Bhaban, otherwise one has to follow the crowd. The first building in the area was a guest house built in 1863 by Maharshi Devendranath Tagore, father of Rabindranath Tagore. It was named Santiniketan and thereafter the entire place acquired that name. Hermitage created with a Trust Deed in 1888 by Maharshi Devendranath Tagore. The area has several buildings associated with the Tagores - Santiniketan building, Nutan Bari, Dehali etc. School classes and major functions are held in the Amra Kunja (mango grove). Some of the Visva Bharati institutions are also located here. Tourists are not allowed to stray into areas where outdoor classes are held as they disturb studies. Some distance away on the eastern side is a small hillock with a large banyan tree. It was a favourite of Maharshi Devendranath Tagore.
• Look out for sculptures and frescoes of Nandalal Bose, Ramkinkar Baij and Binode Bihari Mukherjee, particularly around Kala Bhavana.
• Kalo Bari. Profusely decorated
• Prakriti Bhavan. Located in the Ballavpur area of Santiniketan, Birbhum, West Bengal. It is India's one and only Nature Art museum with an impressive indoor display of natural sculptures in driftwood, dry wood and a sprawling open air garden of natural rock sculptures. Set in the most picturesque part of Santiniketan it is an aesthetic manifestation of the legacy of Tagore's Santiniketan in linking man with nature through Art, music and poetry
• Shilpa Gram. Shilpa Gram is close to the Ballavpur deer sanctuary. It is designed very nicely and showcases tranditional handicrafts of eastern region (including Bihar, Assam, Orissa, Manipur, Andaman, Jharkhand etc). Each state is represented by a traditional house which has collection of paintings, articrafts etc. The place is maintained neatly and has good collection of cultural elements.
• Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary. It includes a Deer Park

Visitors are not allowed to loiter around educational centres during working hours as these disturb the classes being held

• Cheena Bhavana. China study centre
• Hindi Bhavana. Hindi study centre
• Nippon Bhavana. Japan study centre
• Bangladesh Bhavana. Well-deigned new addition with auditorium
• Kala Bhavana. College of fine arts and crafts, has a museum exhibiting sculptures, frescoes and murals and a library of art books
• Patha Bhavana. Secondary school, is of particular interest, being an example of the traditional Brahmacharya Ashram
• Sangeet Bhavana. College of music and dance
• Siksha Bhavan. College of science
• Vidya Bhavan. College of humanities
• Vinaya Bhavan. Teacher's training college
• Sriniketan Campus. Visiting hours, Winter: 14:00-16:30 hours. Summer: 14:30-17:30. During holidays: 07:30-11:00

Cheena Bhavana. China study centre

Hindi Bhavana. Hindi study centre

Nippon Bhavana. Japan study centre

Bangladesh Bhavana. Well-deigned new addition with auditorium

Kala Bhavana. College of fine arts and crafts, has a museum exhibiting sculptures, frescoes and murals and a library of art books

Patha Bhavana. Secondary school, is of particular interest, being an example of the traditional Brahmacharya Ashram

Sangeet Bhavana. College of music and dance

Siksha Bhavan. College of science

Vidya Bhavan. College of humanities

Vinaya Bhavan. Teacher's training college

Sriniketan Campus. Visiting hours, Winter: 14:00-16:30 hours. Summer: 14:30-17:30. During holidays: 07:30-11:00

Rabindra Bhaban Museum. Open on working days from 10:30-16:30. Open on Sundays. Closed on Wednesadys and Thursdays. During Poush Mela the place is over-crowded and queues for entry are long. The museum hall is called Bichitra. Constructed in Tagore's birth centenary year 1961. There are original manuscripts, letters, documents, medals (including Nobel Prize medallion), plaques, certificates, paintings, photographs etc. The five houses used by Tagore during his life named Udayan, Konark, Shyamali, Punascha and Udichi. No photography in Rabindra Bhavana and Uttarayan complex. Combined entry fee for Uttarayan complex and Rabindra Bhaban Museum is ₹10 for students, ₹50 for Indians and ₹300 for foreigners.

Chhatimtala. Prayer place (under the "Chhatim" tree) of Maharshi Devendranath Tagore

Brahmo Mandir. Upasana Griha, constructed in 1891

Tagore's ashrama. Closed on Wednesdays.. One has to walk through the area. Guides are generally available outside Uttarayan Complex/Rabindra Bhaban, otherwise one has to follow the crowd. The first building in the area was a guest house built in 1863 by Maharshi Devendranath Tagore, father of Rabindranath Tagore. It was named Santiniketan and thereafter the entire place acquired that name. Hermitage created with a Trust Deed in 1888 by Maharshi Devendranath Tagore. The area has several buildings associated with the Tagores - Santiniketan building, Nutan Bari, Dehali etc. School classes and major functions are held in the Amra Kunja (mango grove). Some of the Visva Bharati institutions are also located here. Tourists are not allowed to stray into areas where outdoor classes are held as they disturb studies. Some distance away on the eastern side is a small hillock with a large banyan tree. It was a favourite of Maharshi Devendranath Tagore.

Kalo Bari. Profusely decorated

Prakriti Bhavan. Located in the Ballavpur area of Santiniketan, Birbhum, West Bengal. It is India's one and only Nature Art museum with an impressive indoor display of natural sculptures in driftwood, dry wood and a sprawling open air garden of natural rock sculptures. Set in the most picturesque part of Santiniketan it is an aesthetic manifestation of the legacy of Tagore's Santiniketan in linking man with nature through Art, music and poetry

Shilpa Gram. Shilpa Gram is close to the Ballavpur deer sanctuary. It is designed very nicely and showcases tranditional handicrafts of eastern region (including Bihar, Assam, Orissa, Manipur, Andaman, Jharkhand etc). Each state is represented by a traditional house which has collection of paintings, articrafts etc. The place is maintained neatly and has good collection of cultural elements.

Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary. It includes a Deer Park

• Briksharopana. Planting of saplings and Halakarshana ploughing of the fields on 22nd and 23rd Sravana (August).
• Maghotsav. Anniversary of Brahmo Samaj celebrated on the 11th of Magha (25th January), with prayers and songs at Chhatimtala.
• Poush Mela. The fair is held at Santiniketan from 7th-9th Poush (December 22/23-25). Tribal sports, folk songs and dances including songs by bauls, the itinerant singers, are a part of the fair and festivities. Some sort of "bhanga mela" or broken fair, with some shops, continue till the end of December. (Accommodation is heavily booked during this period. Anybody wanting to visit during this period will need to plan ahead for hotel bookings.)
• Rabindra Jayanti. Although the birth anniversary of Rabindranath falls on 25th Baisakh (May 8/9), the anniversary as well as the Bengali New Year (Nabo Barsho) is celebrated on the first day of the Bengali New Year (Poila Baisakh) in mid-April with songs, dances, and recitations by the students.
• Varshamangal. Festival of rains during August/September. Tagore was a poet of nature and some of his finest creations were about the rains.
• Vasanta Utsav. Held to celebrate Holi (March). The students dance and sing their ways through Amrakunja, followed by open-air variety programmes. (Accommodation is heavily booked during this period. Anybody wanting to visit during his period will have to plan ahead.)

Briksharopana. Planting of saplings and Halakarshana ploughing of the fields on 22nd and 23rd Sravana (August).

Maghotsav. Anniversary of Brahmo Samaj celebrated on the 11th of Magha (25th January), with prayers and songs at Chhatimtala.

Poush Mela. The fair is held at Santiniketan from 7th-9th Poush (December 22/23-25). Tribal sports, folk songs and dances including songs by bauls, the itinerant singers, are a part of the fair and festivities. Some sort of "bhanga mela" or broken fair, with some shops, continue till the end of December. (Accommodation is heavily booked during this period. Anybody wanting to visit during this period will need to plan ahead for hotel bookings.)

Rabindra Jayanti. Although the birth anniversary of Rabindranath falls on 25th Baisakh (May 8/9), the anniversary as well as the Bengali New Year (Nabo Barsho) is celebrated on the first day of the Bengali New Year (Poila Baisakh) in mid-April with songs, dances, and recitations by the students.

Varshamangal. Festival of rains during August/September. Tagore was a poet of nature and some of his finest creations were about the rains.

Vasanta Utsav. Held to celebrate Holi (March). The students dance and sing their ways through Amrakunja, followed by open-air variety programmes. (Accommodation is heavily booked during this period. Anybody wanting to visit during his period will have to plan ahead.)

• Handicrafts. Batik prints, leather craft. A favourable time for shopping is during the "Pous Mela". The unique style of embroidery associated with Santiniketan is known as 'kantha stitch'. 'Sudha Karu Shilpa' in Andrews Palii, Santinikeatn, 'Amar Kutir' in Sriniketan, and 'Basundhara' in Sonajhuripalli offer quality kantha stitchwork in the form of Sarees, Dupattas etc. throughout the year. Other handicrafts like dokra (artistic brassware from nearby Dariapur), leather bags, bamboo toys and locally handwoven cotton are also worth a look.
• Rabindranath, Santiniketan, Sriniketan (book) by Tapan Kumar Basak. Available locally ₹30.
• Amar Kutir. Many handicrafts like cloth, leather, batiks, hand-loomed fabrics and similar available.
• Saturday Market, Sonajhuri. It starts from around 15:00 and goes on till about 17:30-18:00 only on Saturdays and is worth visiting. Variety of items available, including local handicrafts. Baul programmes organised

Handicrafts. Batik prints, leather craft. A favourable time for shopping is during the "Pous Mela". The unique style of embroidery associated with Santiniketan is known as 'kantha stitch'. 'Sudha Karu Shilpa' in Andrews Palii, Santinikeatn, 'Amar Kutir' in Sriniketan, and 'Basundhara' in Sonajhuripalli offer quality kantha stitchwork in the form of Sarees, Dupattas etc. throughout the year. Other handicrafts like dokra (artistic brassware from nearby Dariapur), leather bags, bamboo toys and locally handwoven cotton are also worth a look.

Rabindranath, Santiniketan, Sriniketan (book) by Tapan Kumar Basak. Available locally ₹30.

Amar Kutir. Many handicrafts like cloth, leather, batiks, hand-loomed fabrics and similar available.

Saturday Market, Sonajhuri. It starts from around 15:00 and goes on till about 17:30-18:00 only on Saturdays and is worth visiting. Variety of items available, including local handicrafts. Baul programmes organised

• Rasna Hotel & Restaurant, Chandi Das Road, Bolpur (Opposite Bolpur Police Station, +91 9932486906 03463253278. Indian, Chinese, Tandoori food specialist, no alcohol. Distance from Railway Station 4 minutes.
• SK Restaurant, Bolpur-Santiniketan Rd, +91 9434132416. 10AM-10PM daily. This restaurant, near Jambuni Bus stand opposite to Gitanjali Prekhagriha, is very good, both in terms of food quality and quantity. Look for "morabba", a Siuri speciality (type of sweet meat).

Rasna Hotel & Restaurant, Chandi Das Road, Bolpur (Opposite Bolpur Police Station, +91 9932486906 03463253278. Indian, Chinese, Tandoori food specialist, no alcohol. Distance from Railway Station 4 minutes.

SK Restaurant, Bolpur-Santiniketan Rd, +91 9434132416. 10AM-10PM daily. This restaurant, near Jambuni Bus stand opposite to Gitanjali Prekhagriha, is very good, both in terms of food quality and quantity. Look for "morabba", a Siuri speciality (type of sweet meat).

Santiniketan and the surrounding areas offer a few bottle shops for wine and liquor purchases. A few restaurants have permits to serve beer (Kharimati restaurant, Park Hotel restaurant) and one local bar with a liquor licence is the Moon Bar at the new Kharimati Hotel. During tribal festivals, the Santals enjoy rice beer which is served warm, is quite tasty and has a low alcohol content.

• Bakreshwar - 58 km, Shaktipitha, also famous for the Bakranath Shiva temple and hot springs.
• Durgapur - 60 km, the steel city. One can travel on to Vishnupur another 70 km in the same direction or on to Asansol, another 30 km, along NH2.
• Kankalitala - 9 km, on the bank of the river Kopai, one of the satipeethas.
• Kendubillo - 30 km, on the bank of the river Ajay, believed by many to be the birthplace of 12th century Sanskrit poet Joydeb, author of the masterpiece Geeta Govinda. A fair is held here on Makar Sankranti (mid January). Baul songs are the principal attraction of this mela. There is a temple with terracota decorations.
• Labhpur-Fullara - 30 km, a Shaktipitha, birthplace of Tarashankar Bandopadhyay.
• Massanjore - 75 km, in Dumka district of Jharkhand, a dam across the river Mayurakshi with a picturesque reservoir. One can travel on to Deoghar another 98 km in the same direction.
• Nalhati - 100 km, Shaktipeetha
• Nanoor - 20 km, birthplace of Chandidas, 14th century Sanskrit poet, famous for his Vaishnav Padavalis. There is a temple dedicated to Devi Basuli.
• Sainthia - 44 km, Shaktipeetha
• Surul - near Sriniketan, temples with exquisite terracotta carvings.
• Tarapith - 88 km, Shaktipeetha, famous temple of Tara Devi and/or move on to Rampurhat

[[Bakreshwar]] - 58 km, Shaktipitha, also famous for the Bakranath Shiva temple and hot springs.

[[Durgapur]] - 60 km, the steel city. One can travel on to [[Bishnupur (West Bengal)|Vishnupur]] another 70 km in the same direction or on to [[Asansol]], another 30 km, along NH2.

[[Kankalitala]] - 9 km, on the bank of the river Kopai, one of the satipeethas.

[[Kendubillo]] - 30 km, on the bank of the river Ajay, believed by many to be the birthplace of 12th century Sanskrit poet Joydeb, author of the masterpiece Geeta Govinda. A fair is held here on Makar Sankranti (mid January). Baul songs are the principal attraction of this mela. There is a temple with terracota decorations.

[[Labhpur]]-[[Fullara]] - 30 km, a Shaktipitha, birthplace of Tarashankar Bandopadhyay.

[[Massanjore]] - 75 km, in Dumka district of Jharkhand, a dam across the river Mayurakshi with a picturesque reservoir. One can travel on to [[Deoghar]] another 98 km in the same direction.

[[Nalhati]] - 100 km, Shaktipeetha

[[Nanoor]] - 20 km, birthplace of Chandidas, 14th century Sanskrit poet, famous for his Vaishnav Padavalis. There is a temple dedicated to Devi Basuli.

[[Sainthia]] - 44 km, Shaktipeetha

[[Surul]] - near Sriniketan, temples with exquisite terracotta carvings.

[[Tarapith]] - 88 km, Shaktipeetha, famous temple of Tara Devi and/or move on to [[Rampurhat]]