Santiniketan

‘I shall be born in India again and again. With all her poverty, misery, and wretchedness, I love India best.’

Rabindranath Tagore

Santiniketan is a small town near Bolpur in the Birbhum district of West Bengal. This place was founded by Rabindranath Tagore's father Devendranath tagore. This 'abode of peace' lies approximately 180 kilometres north of Kolkata and can be reached by several train and bus services within 3-4 hours. Maharshi Debendranath, father of Rabindranath Tagore, founded an ‘Ashram’ here in 1863. Almost 40 years later, Rabindranath started an open-air school at Shantiniketan that gradually developed into an international university named Visva Bharati where the cultures of the East and the West may meet in common fellowship and thereby strengthen the fundamental condition of world peace.However, this tranquil outskirt have become a global tourist location, other than being a university campus.

There are a Museum- Vichittra and Art Gallery- Nandan. Within the Uttarayana complex, there are five houses of the Tagores- Udayana, Konarka, Shamali, Punassha and Udichi. Besides, Chhatimala, Upasana Mandir, and Shantiniketan Bari are some of the oldest sanctums.Shantiniketan is famous for its various festivals, marking the changing seasons. The major festivals are Poush Mela (December), Maghotsab (February), Basanta Utsab (March), Varsha Mangal (July-August), Sharodutsab (Oct-Nov). Millions of people come to Santiniketan during these festivals from all over the world.

Other than touring the town limits of Santiniketan, excursions from Santiniketan have also become a common desire of the tourists. Nearby places like Kankalitala (9km), Deer Park (4 km), Joydev-Kenduli (30 km), Nonoor (18 km), Saintha- Nandesawari (44 km), Lavpur-Fullara (30 km), Tarapith (88 km), Nalhati (100 km) and Massanjore (75km) lie at a convenient distance from Santiketan; suitable for a weekend's vacation.

The best time to visit santiniketan is from October to March. There are sveral hotels and lodges available within the town premisces at affordable rates. Internal transportation is catered to by a "rickshaw association' and private cars. Long distance buses reach to the nearby places of tourist interest. Two 'must see ' attractions of Santiniketan is the natural beauty of Kopai and Sonajhuri. This place have been like a magnet for me since years and this can be said undoubtedly that Santiniketan is the unmatched spot for peace lovers and cultural minds.