Shantiniketan

Home | Excursions From Kolkata | Shantiniketan

Shantiniketan is a university town near Kolkata which is known for its wide horizons which not only serves as a center of learning but as the place where cultures & traditions of various countries merge. It was founded by Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel Laureate and named as ‘Vishva-Bharati’, the international University where Indian traditions incorporates the best of other cultures resulting in a harmonious environment.

The origin of Shantiniketan goes back to the early 19th century or 1863 to be precise when Maharishi Devendranath Tagore established it as an abode of peace or an Ashram. However, in 1901 his son Rabindranath Tagore as an experiment converted this into an open-air school with just five students. This turned out to be a success and soon the university scope was widened to form the nucleus of a university.

The present complex includes Uttarayan- the buildings where Devendranath Tagore lived along with several buildings exhibiting the architectural genius of Rabindranath Tagore such as Shyamali, Punascha and Udichi. Some other must see buildings include Sangit Bhavan (College of Music and Dance), Kala Bhavan (College of Fine Arts and Crafts), Siksha-Bhavan (College of Science), Vidya Bhavan (College of Humanities) and Vinaya Bhavan (Teacher's Training College). A Centre for Rural Service and Studies (Palli Samgathan Bibhaga) and the college of Agriculture (Palli Siksha Sadan) are other prominent buildings. The splendid sculptures, frescoes, murals and paintings by prominent personalities like Rabindranath, Bindobehari Mukhopadhyaya, Nandlal Bose and Ramkinkar on display constitute another star attraction.