Santiniketan Travel Guide
Shantiniketan is a small town near Bolpur in the Birbhum District of West Bengal and about 163 km north of Kolkata. It is renowned internationally as India’s first Nobel laureate poet and visionary Rabindranath Tagore founded an institution that is now a University world famous university – Visva-Bharati University. The place attracts thousands of visitors each year.
Shantiniketan was earlier called Bhuban Danga (named after Bhuban Dakat, a local Dacoit), and was possessed by the Tagore family. In 1862, Maharshi Devendranath Tagore, the poet’s father, came across this scenery with red soil and lush green paddy turfs. He decided to plant more saplings and built a guest house. He called his home Shantiniketan. He founded an ashram here in 1863 which provided the platform for the foundation of Visva Bharati in the later years by Tagore.
In 1901, Rabindranath started a school at Shantiniketan that was modeled on the lines of the ancient Gurukul system which later came to be known as Patha Bhavan, the school of his principles. With the monetary backing of the Maharajah of Tripura, the Visva-Bharati Society was established in 1921. Tagore envisioned a centre of learning which would have the best of both the east and the west. Thus Visva-Bharati, the world famous institution of learning came into existence. It became a central university in 1951.
Leaves of the Chhatim (or 7-leaf sprigs) trees are given to graduating students at the annual convocation. Various teachers had been associated with it over the years. Indira Gandhi, Satyajit Ray, and Amartya Sen are among its eminent students.
People from all around the world throng here to observe the running of the university, walk about in the campus watching students studying amidst nature and witness numerous occasions like Poush Mela in the winter, Basanta Utsav during Holi etc.
How to Reach Santiniketan
- Air – If you are catching a flight land at Kolkata. Kolkata is 162 km away from Santiniketan and you can hire a private car which are quite abundant outside the airport and head off for Santiniketan.
- Rail – The best way to get there is by train from Howrah. Numerous trains like Shantiniketan Express, Ganadebata Express reach Bolpur, the railway station for Shantiniketan in two to three hours from Kolkata. Very comfortable Air-conditioned Chair Cars are available for those who want to reserve their seats.
- Road – Santiniketan is wery well connected from Kolkata by road. You can reach there by car in around 4 hours. For those who are going via bus, you have to take a Kolkata-Asansol or Kolkata-Suri bus. For Asansol bound bus you have to get down near Panagarh and for Suri bound bus you have to get down near Ilambazar and for both cases you have to catch another bus for Santiniketan.
Distance of Santiniketan from Below Places:
| Place | Distance (KM) |
|---|---|
|
Kolkata |
162 |
|
Asansol |
97 |
|
Suri |
40 |
Weather
Santiniketan Temperature:
- Summer (Mar to Jun) — Temperatures are hot and range between (24°C) to (38°C)
- Monsoon (Jul to Sep) — Regular rainfall happens. For tourists who want to enjoy rainy season in rural bengal
- Winter (Oct to Feb) — Temperatures are moderate and range between (9°C) to (24°C)
- Best Season to Visit — Oct to Feb is the best season for tourism
What to See in Santiniketan
Visva Bharati is the university set up by Rabindranath Tagore. Guides are generally available outside Uttarayan Complex/Rabindra Bhavan, otherwise one has to follow the mass. 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. The area has several buildings associated with the Tagores – 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. On the eastern side of the premises, there is a small hillock with a large banyan tree
Prayer place (under the “Chhatim” tree) of Maharshi Devendranath Tagore.
This place of worship was constructed in 1891. It is a beautiful Brahma temple made of stained glass and beautiful patterns. Every Wednesday morning the weekly prayer is organized by the students and residents of the campus
The house called Bichitra, constructed in Tagore’s birth centenary year 1961 houses a magnificent museum of the Poet’s belongings. There are original manuscripts, letters, documents, medals, plaques, certificates, paintings, photographs, utensils etc. A similar kind of museum is also dedicated to the poet’s son Rathindranath Thakur who took charge of the university after the poet’s demise
Closed on Wednesdays, this complex has several houses associated with Tagore’s memory – Udayan, Konark, Shyamali (mud hut), Punascha and Udichi. The complex has well laid-out parks. The interiors of these houses were designed by Tagore himself and bear resemblance to Indo-European style.
Kopai’s red path had inspired the Bard to pen down many famous verses. Narrow, just off the Visva Bharati limits, this trail has continued to be the same since the days of the poet – unpaved, revealing the red soil, inspiring the soul. About 2 km long, it leads to the Kopai. Kopai draws tourist for its curious canyon-like formation made by wind and the Kopai River. Walk down a few meters, you will find Kopai in its natural splendor. You can admire the tint of the soil and the rocks that form this place. Being quite woody, it makes for a good place for a walk
Other Details
What to Do
- Every Saturday afternoon a local flea market comes up in the Shonajhuri grove of Khowai. Visit it to get a feel of rural markets.
- If you are a music enthusiast, you will definitely find a Baul singer sitting under a tree nearby with his ektaara and humming his soulful song on love, life, God and death.
- A visit to the Kopai River via the Santal village of Baner pukur Danga
- During the festive seasons like Poush Mela, Basanta Utsav, Brikhsharopan, Maghotsav, and Rabindra Jayanti – immerse in the cultural activities happening in the town
Where to Eat
- There are numerous hotels and guest houses in Shantiniketan where you can enjoy your daily meal. The local restaurants generally serve authentic Bengali cuisine. Restaurant are neat and well equipped with clean cutlery and sitting arrangements. Food is generally tasty.
- If you are looking for a special ambience and authentic Bengali way of dining, you should once visit ‘Shakuntala’ amidst the red soil and Shonajhuri trees in Khoai or Banalaxmi near Sriniketan. The former provide Bengali food in earthen plates, water in earthen cups and the sitting arrangement is traditional.
- Roadside eateries throughout the town are quite clean and hygienic and serve good quality food
What to Buy
- If you are interested in ethnic fabrics, tribal jewellery and rustic handicrafts Santiniketan is the shopper’s paradise for you. The unique style of embroidery associated with Shantiniketan is known as ‘Katha stitch’. Hand-made Batik works are available at “karu-shangha, an organization founded by Nandalal Basu for the house wives, ‘Amar Kutir’ in Sriniketan, and ‘Basundhara’ in Sonajhuripalli offer quality Katha stitch work in the form of Sarees, Dupattas etc. throughout the year.
- Other handicrafts like dokra (artistic brassware from nearby Dariapur), leather bags, bamboo toys, wooden furniture, Litho & Slate cut paintings and locally hand-woven cotton are also worth a look
Get Around
- Three wheeled cycle rickshaw or Totos are the main vehicles to get around the area. They are the most convenient means of transportation. Although there are a few to be found, auto-rickshaws are not yet very common in this area.
- Cars can also be hired from the hotels that you are putting up.
Top Destinations - West Bengal
– Bakkhali
– Bindu
– Bishnupur
– Buxa Tiger Reserve
– Chapramari
– Chilapata
– Darjeeling
– Digha
– Jhalong
– Lataguri
– Jairambati
– Jaldapara
– Jayanti
– Kalimpong
– Kamarpukur
– Lava
– Lolegaon
– Mandarmani
– Murti
– Murshidabad
– Rishop
– Samsing-Suntalekhola
– Santiniketan
– Sundarbans
– Tajpur
– Tarapith
Popular Tour Plans - West Bengal
1-3 Days
1. Murshidabad (2N/3D)
2. Digha (2N/3D)
3. Tajpur (2N/3D)
4. Bakkhali (2N/3D)
5. Sundarbans (2N/3D)
6. Kamarpukur-Jairambati-Bishnupur (3N/4D)
4-6 Days
1. Bakreshwar-Tarapith-Santiniketan (4N/5D)
2. Mandarmani-Digha (4N/5D)
3. Jaldapara-Chilapata-Buxa Tiger Reserve-Jayanti (5N/6D)
4. Lava-Lolegaon-Rishop (6N/7D)
5. Darjeeling-Gangtok (6N/7D)
7-10 Days
1. Jaldapara-Lataguri-Murti-Chapramari-Jhalong-Bindu-Suntanekhola (8N/9D)
2. Darjeeling-Kalimpong-Pelling-Gangtok (9N/10D)
3. Darjeeling-Gangtok-Lachen-Lachung (9N/10D)
4. Darjeeling-Pelling-Gangtok (8N/9D)
>10 Days
1. Darjeeling-Gangtok-Lachen-Lachung-Pelling (11N/12D)