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Maharshi Debendranath, father of Rabindranath Tagore, founded an
‘Ashram' here in 1863. Almost 40 years later, Rabindranath
started an open-air school at Santiniketan 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 conditions of world peace.
There are several institutions under the Visva Bharati - Patha Bhavana,
Uttar Siksha Sadana, Siksha Bhavana, Vidya Bhavana, Vinay Bhavana,
Kala Bhavana, Sangeet Bhavana, Rabindra Bhavana, China Bhavana,
Hindi Bhavana etc. There are a Museum - Vichitra and Art Gallery
- Nandan. Within the Uttarayana complex, there are five abodes of
the Tagores - Udayana, Konarka, Shyamali, Punascha and Udichi. Besides,
Chhatimtala, Upasana Mandir and Santiniketan Bari are some, of the
oldest sanctums.
In the year 1922, Rabindranath started a rural reconstruction centre
at Sriniketan, 3 km. from Santiniketan. Later, some other institutions
have come up here - Siksha Satra, Silpa Sadana, Palli Siksha Bhavana,
Santosh Pathshala etc.
Sriniketan
10.30 a.m. - 1.30 p.m.
7 a.m. - 12 noon (Summer Vacation)
Weekly holidays on Wednesday and half-
holiday on Tuesday.
General Information : Temperature : Summer : 39.4" C Max 34.39" C Min ' Winter : 15.7" C Max 12.1”CMin Rainfall : 125 cm (June - September ) Heavy in
July/August Season : Throughout the year
How to go
From Calcutta (Howrah) to Bolpur by rail. From Bolpur toSantiniketan
(2 km.) by cycle rickshaw. By road it is 11 km. From Calcutta. Direct
bus service.
Fairs & Festivals
Rabindra Janmotsab
Though the birthdate of Rabindranath falls on May 8/9, the anniversary
as well as the Bengali New Year is celebrated on the first day of
the Bengali New Year (mid April).
Briksharopan, planting of saplings and Halakarshan, ploughing of
fields on 22 & 23 Sravana (August). Also Varshamangal, the festival
of rains during August/ September.
Poush Utsav
(December 22/23 - 25). A fair is held at Santiniketan from 7th to
9th Poush and Visva Bharati observes its foundation day. Tribal
sports, dances and folk songs including songs by Bauls, the wandering
minstrels of Bengal, are a part of the fair and festivities.
Maghotsav
Celebrated on the 11th of Magha (January), to mark the anniversary
ofBrahmo Samaj.
Vasanta Utsav
Held to mark Holi. The students dance and sing their ways through
Amrakunja, followed by open-air variety programmes.
Excursions from Shanti-Niketen Kankalitala (9 Km)
On the bank of the river Kopai is Kankalitala, one of the sacred
Satipithas. A temple is there.
Deer Parl (4 Km)
Located within the Ballavpur forest range adjacent to Santiniketaan.
(closed on Wednesday).
Joydev - Kenduli (30 Km)
Birth place of Poet Joydev, author of the Geeta Govinda, a 12th
century masterpiece in Sanskrit. A fair is held here on Makar Sankranti
( mid - January ). Baul songs are the principal attraction of this
mela.
Nanoor (18 Km)
Birth place of Kabi Chandidas, famous for his Vaishnav Padavalis.
There is a temple dedicated to Devi Basuli.
Bakreswar (58 Km)
Another Satipitha. Also famous for the Bakranath Siva Temple. There
are a number of hot springs with varying temperatures. The water
coming out from the 'sulphurous hot springs has got therapeutic
value.
Tarapith (88 Km )
Numerous pilgrims visit the famous Tara Devi Temple.
Lavpur - Fullara (30 Km)
A Satipitha, one of the 21 such centres of pilgrimage.
Sainthia - Nandeswari (44 Km )
This also is a Satipitha.
Nalhati (100 Km)
One of the Satipithas where a temple stands. Beside the temple is
a tomb of Ana Pir Sahib, a Muslim saint.
Massanjore (75 Km)
Located in Durnka, Bihar, this is the site of a dam on the river
Mayurakshi amidst hilly landscape.
