Shantiniketan

Experience one of the world’s most unique universities, the Vishwa Bharati University, and its education system in Shantiniketan. Appreciate the philosophy of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore and how this unusual place came into existence. There are many more places to visit in Shantiniketan beyond the university’s buildings. The university blends with the natural surroundings and rustic beauty of the Khoai Sonajhuri Forest. The buildings on the campus boast exquisite frescoes and murals. The place hosts many festivals and fairs all year round which is when you can tour places to visit in Shantiniketan.Holi is celebrated at Shantiniketan as Basant Utsav and Dhol Utsav, with vibrant colors, beautiful flowers, delectable food, age-old rituals, and unbridled fun. During the grand Holi celebration, several cities such as Mathura, Vrindavan, and Pushkar, among others, are bathed in hues of love and happiness.

Shantiniketan Overview

When to Visit Shantiniketan

The best time to visit Shantiniketan is during the wintertime. This season displays blue skies, a cool breeze and crisp sunny weather. The city presents important fairs and festivals in this season while Shantiniketan weather is bright and clear. It gets very hot in the summers with Shantiniketan temperature touching almost 42-43 degrees. These months from April to June can be quite exhausting and is the off-season. July to September see rains bringing in greenery and cooler Shantiniketan weather. This is a good time to tour the places to visit in Shantiniketan.

How to Reach Shantiniketan?

If you have decided on the best time to visit Shantiniketan, book your travel and stay according to your itinerary. The nearest airport to Shantiniketan is Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata. Shantiniketan is about 212km from Kolkata by road and has excellent road connectivity from the capital city. Many buses plying on this route can take you to the destination. The nearest railway station for places to visit in Shantiniketan is Bolepur. A cab or a rickshaw can take you to Rabindra Bhavana and other buildings of the Vishwa Bharati University. The roads leading to places to visit in Shantiniketan are well-maintained and lined by lush greenery on both sides.

What are the Things to See & do in Shantiniketan?

There are many places to visit in Shantiniketan and many things to see. You must visit the tourist locations and buildings. Take a tour of the Vishwa Bharati University and its different departments. Pay a visit to Tagores residence and the ashram with various charming houses. For those interested in the great statesmans life, visiting Tagores Museum is a must. Go to the Sonajhuri Haat (weekly market) where the villagers put up their crafts and wares for sale. You can also include the batik factory as one of the places to visit in Shantiniketan to know more about this art. Picnic on the banks of Kopai River. Go for bird watching and deer spotting at Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary. Besides touring the places to visit in Shantiniketan, try to participate in some of the festivals and fairs Poush Mela, Basanta Utsav, Rabindra Janmotsav, Varshamangal and many more. Watch the tribal dance, listen to baul songs and indulge in Shantiniketan food.

Places to visit in Shantiniketan

Rabindra Bhavana - One of the abodes of Rabindranath Tagore, Rabindra Bhavana is a museum now. It displays the various items that the poet used and opens up a panorama of his life. Established in 1942, after the poets demise in 1941, this location is one of the foremost places to visit in Shantiniketan.

Chhatimtala - Chhatimtala used to be the spot where Maharshi Debendranath Tagore, Rabindranath Tagores father, meditated. This peaceful location helped the Maharshi get the idea of building a university and Shantiniketan was born. The Maharshi, a scholar and learned man, also stressed the importance of meditation for introspection. This should be one of the sacred places to visit in Shantiniketan.

Singha Sadan - This simple bell-and-clock-tower building is of great importance in the events revolving around Tagores life. This charming building is where the great poet received his honorary doctorate from Oxford University. This makes Singha Sadan one of the must-see places to visit in Shantiniketan.

Cheena Bhavana - Vishwa Bharati University has many academic blocks. One of them is the Cheena Bhavana or China Bhavan, which promotes Sino-Indian relationships. The department studies Chinese languages, culture and traditions, often visited by Chinese scholars. You can easily spot this building among the places to visit in Shantiniketan.

Kala Bhavana - The department of visual arts, Kala Bhavana, is the most beautifully designed building in the university. Dedicated to the field of arts, this building has been designed by students of fine arts. It showcases Tagores vision of artistic expressions. This building should feature in your list of places to visit in Shantiniketan.

Amar Kutir - Once a refuge for freedom fighters and revolutionaries, Amar Kutir is now a cooperative society to promote local art and crafts. Established by revolutionary Sushen Mukherjee on the banks of the Kopai River after he met Mahatma Gandhi. This building is now the official address of Amar Kutir Society for Rural Development in collaboration with the Central Government schemes. Do not miss tours of the hand-block printing, batik printing and lac craft units while touring the places to visit in Shantiniketan.

Khoai Sonajhuri Forest - The eroded, red-laterite soiled forest holds the reputation of one of the cleanest forests in India. Khoai Sonajhuri Forest has numerous sonajhuri trees that have golden flowers during winters. Treat yourself to a relaxing walk through the forest or shop at the weekly market Khoai Sonajhuri Mela. The tribal craft, handloom, food, dance and music will be some exceptional encounters among the places to visit in Shantiniketan.

Food to try in Shantiniketan

Shantiniketan food is mostly homely Bengali food with fresh local ingredients and some inclusion of foreign items. You would easily find vegetarian and non-veg thali meals at resorts and restaurants near the places to visit in Shantiniketan. Fresh local farm vegetables and fresh catch from the Kopai River add to the taste of the dishes. Due to the influx of foreign students and teachers in the university, many restaurants serve some continental and Asian food items. You can relish Spanish omelette with cheese, chicken sandwiches, chicken Manchurian, French toast, fried rice and noodles, pasta, alu-paratha, poori-sabji and many more.

Things to Buy in Shantiniketan

When touring the places to visit in Shantiniketan, you should tick the weekly market and the Amar Kutir on your list. The weekly market will provide you with artefacts with quaint rural, tribal art. These are nice pieces of jewellery or bamboo and cane items to own or gift. You will find shell art and rural handloom work. From Amar Kutir and other shops, buy batik printed clothes and sarees. Look for the Shantiniketan bags and purses made of leather. You can also explore jute items rugs, mats, wall hangings, bags etc. Include the local workshops among the places to visit in Shantiniketan and buy Kantha-stitch embroidered clothes from the artisans.

Conclusion

Shantiniketan is a glory for India, thanks to an internationally recognized university and the preservation of the local culture. The department buildings in the Vishwa Bharati University, the Tagore Museum, the rural craft workshops, the reserved forest and the tribal craft exhibitionare some of the places to visit in Shantiniketan. Whether you sit down for a quiet time in Chhatimtala or tour Tagores visions in Rabindra Bhavan, Shantiniketan will charm you. If you have more time on hand, visit the neighbouring areas beyond the places to visit in Shantiniketan. Also, do not miss a walk through the Khoai Sonajhuri Forest and a picnic beside the Kopai River.