When I think of Rabindranath Tagore, the maestro, I think of a rural setting, a village where a river runs through it, the music of sitar wafting through the sunset breeze, little alleys, art and expression. My first and limited introduction to Tagore was in school in the forms of prose and poetry. At that time, I didn’t particularly pay any heed to the author than those words that felt deeper, connecting humans and their raw emotions in a beautiful and yet occasionally, desolate world.
Some phrases still ring in my ears as if somewhere, someone longing for another human is giving a faint shout-out. The ‘eternal pangs of separation’ when the postmaster and Ratan part from each other and the young clerk’s remembrance of the woman in ‘Dacca sari, vermilion on her forehead’, are some of the phrases that have been etched in my memory.
That is the mastery of the words of Tagore.
Life in Varanasi!
The beginning
Tagore’s father, Debendranath Tagore leased some land in the neighbourhood of Bolpur town in West Bengal in the late 1800s, built a guest house and named it Shanti Niketan. Later on, Rabindra founded Vishwa Bharti University and the campus and the area around became synonymous with Shanti Niketan. Tagore spent some of his last years here. This is also the birthplace of economist Amartya Sen.
Offbeat village in the hills of North Bengal!
Shanti Niketan now
Cycles and totos(3-wheeler EVs) on the road, dust in the air, dilapidated little buildings spread across acres of an old and huge campus amid greenery all around and a large banyan tree are the striking visuals at the heart of the campus of Shanti Niketan.
The lane leading to it has some small food and handicraft stalls while some beautiful little houses and old blocks cover the area around. There is a rusty feel to the whole place. It has traces of a visionary’s idea of a happy and prosperous town which seems ignored over time very much by it’s own people; much like the whole state of Bengal.
Places to visit
1. Rabindra Museum
At the heart of Shanti Niketan, lies the residence of Tagore which is now a museum. It houses the furniture, library and archives of the life and times of Tagore and the campus. Everything one wants to know about the genius is in detail in the form of books, photographs and descriptive walls.
2. Viswa Bharti University
Students can be sighted, cycling around in a campus which is huge, though old enough to take you back to the pre-independence era. There aren’t many noticeable changes as one can make out by the old architecture and decaying buildings. Once a foundation for an important central university of India, it is now carrying the weight of a Nobel laureate with no firm backs.
3. Rajbari
An old huge house painted in whitish blue with a lot of pillars; this is a structure reminiscent of the days gone by. It is now known for it’s Durga Puja celebrations.
4. Sonajhuri Haat
Popular for it’s Saturday market, the haat(market) is open on other days as well, and is my favourite place here. Handicrafts, eateries, folk music and dance amid sonajhuri trees, the setting is beautiful and vibrant, as it is soothing.
Decoding every place in Rajasthan for travellers!
Other places to visit
Shilpgram
Aamar Kutir
Poush Mela
Now, I loved my short time here and it is great for a day’s visit or two. As exciting as it was to witness the laid-back atmosphere and the old-world charm, it was a little disappointing to see the present condition of the university which doesn’t look like it has evolved with time.
The infrastructure doesn’t speak volumes but it may not necessarily do. But is it what it is as Tagore thought it could be one day? Maybe not. It may still have a heart to remind people of the artistic expression and freedom it once held. The progress is debatable though, like much of the state itself.
What is development anyway?
Best time to visit
Winters, November-February
Easiest Route
Morning train from Kolkata to Bolpur
Travel Mode to explore
Totos that run all day and the drivers act as guides
Stay raw!