Shantiniketan ( Abode Of Peace ) is one of the magnificent creation of Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) , the famous writer , educationalist , artist , poet , song writer , 1913 Nobel laureate of literature and the important figure of Bengali Renaissance . In 1901, Tagore established a school here, and in 1921 the visva Bharasti university which slowly became the nerve centre of culture in Bengal , concentrating on the humanities , arts and communication with nature, and a revolutionary philosophy of removing the barriers between castes, religion , culture , genders, city and country, east and west , teachers and students . the University and School still follows the ethics and principles of Tagore, with about 10,000 indian and global students, a healthy co-educational ambience, and classes still conducted in the open air beneath the campus trees.
He crafted a curriculum that was a perfect balance of human values , art and cultural communication. Even today, one can still feel his presence, his enthusiasm, his devotion and his pride in the institution in every move, in every brick and in every tree at Santiniketan.
Located 160 km northwest of Kolkata, Shantiniketan is a peaceful little town with leafy pathways, a cultural / artistic atmosphere and some elegant small-scale lodgings.
Places to adore at Shantiniketan :
1 . VISVA-BHARATI UNIVERSITY :
In 1863, Maharshi Debendranath Tagore, father of Rabindranath Tagore, established an ashram in Shantiniketan where little Rabi used to meditate , Rabindranath Tagore ‘s father has dreams of developing an environment in which people reside in complete harmony with nature.
So he started an open-air school to give direction to his ambition, where learners used to study sitting under trees and this procedure is surprisingly observed till now . The teachers sit on stone blocks or pillars, and the students sat near their respective gurus , making a semi-circles on cement blocks. Viswa-Bharati began with just 20 acres of land donated by a Shantiniketan zamindaar, and today it is extended over more than 1,000 acres.
A list of notable alumni, including Amartya Sen (Nobel Winning Economist), Satyajit Ray (Oscar Winning Director), Gayatri Devi, former Queen of Jaipur, to name just a few. The campus of the university comprises colleges, departments, institutes, centres, etc. The University have 25 language centres to be where 25 various foreign languages are trained in addition to several other institutes for dance, singing, philosophy , art , pottery and many more.
The students of school seems elegantly gorgeous in their school uniforms, which are ‘kurta-pajama’ for boys and ‘saree’ for girls (classes 9-12).Respect and Discipline for everyone, within the university, always have the top priority.
Chhatim Tala– (under Chhatim Tree) :
This is a peaceful open green space where, Debendranath Tagore used to meditate . That’s the site what leads to the root of the great school, Patha Bhavan, by Rabindranath Tagore.
Upasana Griha–(prayer hall) :
Upasana Griha, built by the poet ‘s father, is one of the most wonderful hall in Shantiniketan. This hall, with multi-colored Belgian glass and marble steps on all four corners, was built around 1863. Every Wednesday, prayer is conducted and everyone is invited with the dress code as a sari for girls and kurta-pajama for boys from any religion .
Kala Bhavan–(institute of fine arts) :
Kala Bhavan is a renowned institution for fine art education and research. Within the university campus, this will be the most fascinating location. Although travelers inside the building are not permitted, you will still get the opportunity to witness stunning paintings on the walls and scattered sculptures around the grounds near the bhavan .
China Bhavan :
The Chinese Studies Center for Education and Science. It is one of the university’s 25 foreign language institutions.
CULTURAL EVENTS :
Annual festivals such as Basant Utsav and Poush Utsav became significant cultural activities at Tagore ‘s behest . Santiniketan teachers and students playing an active role in every cultural event .
On University Foundation Day, the grand Poush Utsav is celebrated, while on the occasion of Holi, the colourful Basant Utsav is celebrated. Nandan Mela is an event in which students showcase and sell their arts , which was originally began to collect money for treatment of a poor student .
Other occasions are also celebrated with great pomp and fervour, such as the Maghotsav (Founding Day of the Sriniketan campus) , Sarodotsav (Autumn Festival) ,and Briksharopan Utsav ( Tree Planting Festival ) .
The whole campus has a festive atmosphere on all these occasions, with tribal dances, baul songs ( traditional roaming minstrels of Bengal) and other cultural events being coordinated across the town.
UTTARAYAN COMPLEX :
Santiniketan’s Uttarayan Complex comprises five homes , in which Tagore lived at different stages of his life .. Konark, the first home to be constructed, was used for the place for poetry recitations and rehearsals while Tagore conducted an experiment with the Shyamali ( a mud house ) if a permanent mud roof could be constructed or not . In the Uttarayan Complex, the exterior walls of the houses are designed with mud murals painted by students of Kala Bhavana in 1935 under the leadership of the legendary painter Nandalal Bose .
Many famous persons, including Mahatma Gandhi, stayed here in 1940 .
MUSEUM on RABINDRANATH TAGORE ‘s LIFE :
The museum is just opposite the 2nd gate of Visva-Bharati University, is all about the contribution of Rabindranath Tagore to society and the household items used by the Tagore family. Images , gifts received by him on his journeys , Several original manuscripts, letters (including Tagore’s handwritten letter refusing to accept knighthood), and his Nobel Prize medallion and citation are displayed in the museum. His original Nobel medal was stolen from the premises in 2004 and has been replaced with a duplicate .
A model of a miniature railway coach is displayed in which ailing Tagore travelled for treatment for the very last time from Shantiniketan to Calcutta. There is a ton to see in the premises in front of the museum, such as Tagore ‘s favourite car, which is an utter classic, Rabindranath Tagore’s oldest son ‘s home, and 2 more houses constructed in Tagoe ‘s premises so that he could write peacefully. In his last few years, several houses were constructed for him so that he could adore the scenic beauty of nature .
Overall, for authors, writers, painters & creative artists, Shantiniketan is next to paradise, and for some it is a pleasant place where nature can be enjoyed with the taste of local cultures.
