Santiniketan or Shantiniketan (Bengali: শান্তিনিকেতন Shāntiniketon) is a university town in central West Bengal, where students of different backgrounds study in open air, under the canopy of a tree. It is deeply associated with the Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore who developed the town. It is considered the manifestation of a utopian ideal of a community that became a crucible for intellectual and artistic ideas that were to have a decisive impact on 20th-century art, literature, poetry, music and architecture in South Asia. Around 1.2 million people visit Santiniketan for its unique blend of education, culture and nature.
Understand
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Established by Debendranath Tagore in 1863 and later developed by his son Rabindranath, Santiniketan (SHAHN-tee-NEE-kay-tawn) is a residential school and centre for art based on ancient Indian traditions and a vision of the unity of humanity transcending religious and cultural boundaries. Distinct from the British colonial approach to education and of European modernism, Santiniketan represents approaches toward a pan-Asian modernity, drawing on ancient, medieval and folk traditions of India as well as Japanese, Chinese, Persian, Balinese, Burmese and Art Deco forms.
History
[edit]In 1863, Debendranath Tagore took on permanent lease 20 acres (8.1 hectares) of land, along with two chhātim (ছাতিম) trees from Raipur zamindar Bhuban Mohan Sinha. The leased area was a small village and the den of a gang of notorious dacoits. After the leader of the gang surrendered to Debendranath, they started helping him in developing the area. Debendranath built a guest house there and named it Santiniketan (literally the "abode of peace"). Gradually, the whole area came to be known as Santiniketan.
Debendranath's son Rabindranath had once dreamt of a place where 'the world would form a single nest', using a combination of education, appreciation of nature, music and the arts. In 1901, he established a residential school in Santiniketan, called Brahmacharyashrama (ব্রহ্মচর্যাশ্রম Brohmochorjāshrom). It became an arts centre based on ancient Indian traditions, and a vision of the unity of humanity transcending religious and cultural boundaries. In 1921, Tagore established the Visva-Bharati University (বিশ্বভারতী Bishwobhārotī), further strengthening his ideals of education.
Santiniketan is designated as a 
UNESCO World Heritage Site in September 2023.
Alumni
[edit]Santiniketan has produced such diverse personalities as Indira Gandhi (once a Prime Minister of India), Satyajit Ray (an Oscar-winning filmmaker) and Amartya Sen (a Nobel laureate) and has been home to great artists and musicians. Santiniketan is also famous for the baul culture, where a group of men in saffron robes singing spiritual songs. Several artists are also closely associated with this town other than the Tagore family, including Nandalal Bose, Ramkinkar Baij and Benode Behari Mukherjee. Their works can be found throughout the town.
Climate
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The climate of Santiniketan is moderately warm, with summer temperatures at around 35–42 °C (maximum) and winter at 10–15 °C (minimum). Summer is felt for three months, March, April and May. December, January and February are the winter months. June, July, August and September see heavy rainfall. The annual average temperature is 26.2 °C. About 1480 mm of rain falls per year, with 76 days seeing the rain.
Read
[edit]- Rabindranath, Santiniketan, Sriniketan by Tapan Kumar Basak. Available locally.
Visitor information
[edit]Get in
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By plane
[edit]The nearest airport is Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport (RDP IATA) at Durgapur, but flights are infrequent. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU IATA) in Kolkata is the nearest major airport that is close to Santiniketan.
By train
[edit]Santiniketan is served by the 1 Bolpur Shantiniketan ER (code: BHP) station in Bolpur, around 3 km (1.9 mi) from Santiniketan. If you are travelling with a lot of baggage, you may struggle for space even in reserved coaches of express trains.
By car
[edit]Santiniketan is 212 km (132 mi) from Kolkata by road. Good drivers can cover the distance in about 3 hours.
Santiniketan is connected with Kolkata by an excellent 4-lane expressway. From Kolkata, travel to Dankuni and take the Durgapur Expressway (NH 19). It will bypass Saktigarh, Bardhaman and Panagarh. At Panagarh (Darjeeling More), turn right. After crossing the Ajay River, take the road to the right at Ilambazar and proceed towards Bolpur. At the Santiniketan–Sriniketan junction (also called Surul More) take the road to the left.
You can also take NH 114 via Talit, Guskara, Bhedia and Surul More, by taking a right turn from the Durgapur Expressway just after crossing Bardhaman on the right (where the Renaissance Township is on the left) and taking this route via Nababhat More. It saves time and the distance is less from the above route by about 50 km, with the cost of numerous speed bumps on the way.
Another option is to take the Bardhaman-Palitpur stretch of the 2-lane NH 116A by taking a right turn from the Durgapur Expressway at Telipukur. At Palitpur, turn left to take the road leading to Bolpur. Although the route is longer than NH 114, it is far less congested and has fewer speed bumps.
Fees and permits
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Although the rest of Santiniketan, including Rabindra Bhavana, is open to public, access to the main Visva-Bharati campus is regulated. It is open to tourists on Sundays only, and you have to collect tickets from Rabindra Bhavana to visit the campus with a batch of maximum 25 tourists. Each batch can visit the campus for maximum two hours, and only on foot. The ticket prices are as follows:
- General tourists: ₹300
- Student batches: ₹50 per head
- Individual students: ₹150
- Foreign tourists: ₹1,000
You have to enter the gate opposite Rabindra Bhavana, and follow the official itinerary. Here, you have to start from Chhatimtala and end at Upasana Griha, visiting multiple attractions in a sequence, with some being off-limits.
Get around
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You can also look at the map of the Visva-Bharati campus in Santiniketan.
By rickshaw
[edit]Electric rickshaws, locally known as ṭōṭō (টোটো), are the most convenient and cheap means of transport these days. The older cycle rickshaws are still available and can be availed, though it would cost more. If you are a tourist, don't get on the cycle rickshaws in front of the museum that are manned by persistent teenagers as they will take you on a farcical circulatory route to make you spend more. Choose the older guys. Or just walk around the town.
By bicycle
[edit]If you are planning an extended stay, it may be worth your while to purchase a bicycle from one of the many local cycle shops. A brand new bicycle costs ₹3,200-3,600.
By car
[edit]Hired cars and taxis are not always readily available, although they are not always needed as it is a compact town anyway.
See
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Visva-Bharati campus
[edit]The Visva-Bharati University has several buildings associated with the Tagore family—Santiniketan Griha, Nutan Bari, Dehali etc. School classes and major functions are held in the Amra Kunja (mango grove). Some distance away on the eastern side is a small hillock with a large banyan tree. It was a favourite of Maharishi Debendranath Tagore.
- 1 Chhatimtala (ছাতিমতলা Chhātimtolā). Prayer place (under the chātim tree) of Maharshi Debendranath Tagore, father of Rabindranath Tagore.
- 2 Kala Bhavana (কলা ভবন Kolā Bhobpn). College of fine arts and crafts, has a museum exhibiting sculptures, frescoes and murals and a library of art books.
- 3 Patha Bhavana (পাঠভবন Pāṭhbhobon). Secondary school, is of particular interest, being an example of the traditional gurukula method of learning, although things have changed slightly.
- 4 Santiniketan Griha.
- 5 Sinha Sadan (সিংহ সদন Singho Sodon). The old buildings of the Visva-Bharati University, named after the Sinha zamindar family.
- 6 Upasana Griha. The prayer hall of the Visva-Bharati University. You have to exit the campus after visiting it.
Rabindra-Uttarayana complex
[edit]The Rabindra-Uttarayana complex consists of a museum dedicated to Tagore, and his five houses: Udayan, Konark, Shyamali, Punascha and Udichi. During Poush Mela, the place is over-crowded and queues for entry are long. Photography is banned in this complex. Combined entry fee for Uttarayan complex and Rabindra Bhavana Museum is ₹10 for students, ₹50 for Indians and ₹300 for foreigners.
- 7 Rabindra Bhavana (রবীন্দ্র ভবন Robīndro Bhobon). 10:30AM–4:30PM (closed W and Th). 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
Others
[edit]- 8 Arthshila Santiniketan. An art gallery.
- 9 Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary (Deer Park). 10AM–4PM (closed W). At the northwestern fringes of Santiniketan, Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary is just the perfect getaway for your next weekend. The lush sanctuary contains three large waterbodies (ঝিল jhil) which host migratory as well as resident birds in plenty. It is home to numerous spotted deer, blackbucks and other resident animals like jackals and foxes. The whole sanctuary is a protected area with watchtowers and jungle paths to walk around and catch glimpses of deer and other wildlife.
- 10 Shilpagram (near Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary). It is designed very nicely and showcases traditional handicrafts of eastern and north-eastern India (including Bihar, Assam, Odisha, Manipur, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Jharkhand). Each state is represented by a traditional house which has a collection of paintings and articraft. The place is maintained neatly and has a good collection of cultural elements.
- 11 Sriniketan. The dream village of Rabindranath Tagore.
- 12 Surul Rajbari (সুরুল রাজবাড়ি Surul Rājbāṛi). 8AM–6PM. The palace of the Sinha zamindars. The small temples with terracotta carvings are to the left of the Rajbari as one faces the Rajbari. Durga Puja still takes place here in a complete home fashion as it used more than 250 years back when it was started.
Do
[edit]- 1 Bangladesh Bhavana. Well-designed new addition with auditorium.
Grounds
[edit]- 2 Amrakunja (আম্রকুঞ্জ Āmrakuñja).
- Dak Bungalow Ground (ডাক বাংলো মাঠ Ḍāk Bāṅglo Māṭh).
- Gour Prangan.
- Jagadish Kanan (জগদীশ কানন Jagadīś Kānan).
Events
[edit]In Santiniketan, seasonal changes bring their own colours and beauties with various festivals. The festivals are organised on traditional Indian forms and rituals.
- Barṣāmangal (বর্ষামঙ্গল). Festival of rains during August/September. Tagore was a poet of nature and some of his finest creations were about the rain.
- Basanta Utsab (বসন্ত উৎসব). Santiniketan's own style of Holi and it welcomes the arrival of spring. The students dance and sing their way 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. The last Basanta Utsab organised by the university was in 2019, though informal celebrations outside proper Santiniketan are continued to be celebrated.
- Māghotsab (মাঘোৎসব). Anniversary of Brahmo Samaj celebrated on the 11 Magh (25 January), with prayers and songs at Chhatimtala.
- 3 Poush Mela (পৌষমেলা Pauṣmelā). The fair is held from 7-9 Poush (22/23-25 December). Tribal sports, folk songs and dances including songs by bauls, and 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 for hotel bookings.
- Rabindra Jayanti (রবীন্দ্র জয়ন্তী Rabīndra Jaẏantī). Although the birth anniversary of Rabindranath falls on 25 Boishakh (8/9 May), the anniversary as well as the Bengali New Year (নববর্ষ Nababarṣa) is celebrated in Boishakh (পয়লা বৈশাখ Paẏla Baiśākh; 14/15 April) with songs, dances, and recitations by the students.
Learn
[edit]- 1 Cheena Bhavana (চীনা ভবন Cīnā Bhaban). A centre of Sino-Indian cultural studies promoting historical study and modern relations between the two countries. The library is known for a major collection of Chinese books and journals, especially Buddhist scriptures and texts.
- 2 Hindi Bhavana (হিন্দি ভবন Hindi Bhaban). Hindi study centre. There's a mural in the building painted by Benode Behari Mukherjee.
Buy
[edit]A favourable time for shopping is during the Poush Mela. The unique style of embroidery associated with Santiniketan is known as the 'Kantha stitch'. 'Sudha Karu Shilpa' in Andrews Palli, 'Amar Kutir' in Ballavpur and 'Basundhara' in Sonajhuri (near Prantik) offer quality Kantha stitchwork in the form of sarees, and dupattas throughout the year. Other handicrafts like dhokra (artistic brassware from Ausgram), leather bags, bamboo toys and locally handwoven cotton are also worth a look.
Eat
[edit]Drink
[edit]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.
Sleep
[edit]| This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room: | |
| Budget | ₹1000 |
| Mid-range | ₹1000–3000 |
| Splurge | ₹3000 |
See also Bolpur and Prantik for accommodations.
Budget
[edit]- Country Roads Home Stay (adjacent to Mela Math), ☏ +91 9903398059. American breakfast included. Well maintained. 24 hr cold water available and fridge. ₹750.
- 1 Hotel Basundhara, Baganpara, Simantapally, ☏ +91-9434132549, info@hotelbasundhara.in. Hotel Basundhara is a highly reputed name as the Best Hotel in Bolpur, Santiniketan. A fully equipped AC conference hall is available with all modern facilities and amenities. ₹450 Non-AC - ₹750 AC.
- 2 Krishna Chura Homestay, Purbapally, ☏ +91 9748445544. Hospitable family home with modern facilities.
- Manashi Lodge, ☏ +91 3463 254200. ₹250-500.
- 3 Purba Palli Guest House, ☏ +91 3463 256 986.
Mid-range
[edit]- 4 Park Guest House, ☏ +91 3463 226286, +91 93783 21552. Check-in: noon, check-out: 11AM. ₹1,700–2,000.
Splurge
[edit]- 5 Mark & Meadows Resort, Sriniketan Rd, ☏ +91 94 3400 7777. Check-in: 9AM, check-out: 9AM. 3 star property spread over 5 acres with swimming pool, fishing pond, games room, children's park, multi-cuisine restaurant, banquet halls, conference halls, 32 cottage style A/C rooms with running hot/cold water. ₹1,450-3,500.
Connect
[edit]- 3 Visva-Bharati Central Library.
Cope
[edit]- 4 Bolpur Fire Department, ☏ +91 3463 252-301.
- 5 Santiniketan Police Station, ☏ +91 3463 252-228.
Nearby
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- 1 Kankalitala (কংকালীতলা Kaṅkālītalā) (9 km (5.6 mi) from Santiniketan). It is the last of the 51 Shakti Pithas. According to mythology, when the dead body of Goddess Shakti was cut by Lord Vishnu, her waist (কংকাল kaṅkāl) fell at Kankalitala. Baul dances are also organised in the temple premises.
Go next
[edit]- Bakreshwar — 58 km, Shaktipitha, also famous for the Bakranath Shiva temple and hot springs.
- Dubrajpur — 44 km, Rajbari (Palace), terracotta temples and natural rock formation
- Durgapur — 60 km, the steel city. You can travel on to Bishnupur another 70 km in the same direction or on to Asansol, another 30 km, along NH 19.
- Kendubillo — 30 km, on the bank of the river Ajay, believed by many to be the birthplace of 12th century Sanskrit poet Jayadeva, author of the masterpiece Geeta Govinda. A fair is held here on Makar Sankranti (mid-January). Baul songs are the principal attraction of this meal. There is a temple with terracotta decorations.
- Labhpur — 30 km, the birthplace of Tarashankar Bandyopadhyay and home to the Fullara Temple, a Shakti Pitha.
- Massanjore — 75 km (in Jharkhand), a dam across the river Mayurakshi with a picturesque reservoir. You can travel on to Deoghar another 98 km in the same direction.
- Nalhati — 100 km, another Shakti Pitha
- Nanoor — 20 km, birthplace of Chandidas, 14th century Sanskrit poet, famous for his Vaishnava Padavalis. There is a temple dedicated to Devi Basuli.
- Sainthia — 44 km, another Shakti Pitha
- Tarapith — 88 km, another Shakti Pitha, famous temple of Tara Devi