SANTINIKETAN : A Place of Peace & Tranquility

Partha Pratim Majumder

Santiniketan has the distinct identity of culture and heritage, which gives the place a unique soft touch of divinity and serenity .

Place : 

The place is at  Bolpur in the district of Birbhum , West Bengal, India. A true picture of rural Bengal blessed with endless sky and spectacular green with fresh air moving around. The ambience smells of crop , simplicity and music with folk tunes and tribal dance. The addiction to good life here is addiction to musical charm of rural Bengal. If you are once here, you may feel that it is not enough.

Bhuvandanga :

Santiniketan was previously called Bhubandanga (named after Bhuban Dakat, a local dacoit). Tagore family owned this place. Rabindranath Tagore's father Maharshi Debendranath Tagore, being attracted by the beauty of this place, established Santiniketan in 1863. In 1901, at one stage he realized that plain Hinduism is not enough for the society, as he was highly educated in Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian and many Western languages, he felt that Vedic teaching was supreme. He started worshiping of "Nirakar Brahama" or the God without any face, as the people of Vedic era did.

History :

This was some three hundred years ago, Maharshi Devendra Nath founded The Bhrahmo Samaj or the followers of God without any face. This sect will have no Religion, no worshiping of Idol, preach non-violence, no sacrifice of animals, birds in the temple premises, no caste system, every body will follow the life style as said in the Vedas. Joined him the highly educated “bangalies”.

Maharshi first built a place and used to prayer under Chhatim tree known as Chhatimtala. His able son Gurudev Ravindra Nath Tagore also joined him soon. He set up Santiniketan in the year 1901. In 1901, Rabindranath Tagore set up a Bramhacharya school here, which later came to be known as the Patha Bhavan, the school of his ideals, whose central premise was that learning in a natural environment would be more enjoyable and fruitful.After he received the Nobel Prize (1913), the school was expanded into a university. Many world famous teachers have become associated with it. Indira Gandhi, Satyajit Ray, and Amartya Sen are among its more illustrious students.

Kala Bhavan :

Kala Bhavan, the art college of Santiniketan, is considered one of the best art colleges in the world. Other institutions here include Vidya Bhavana; the Institute of Humanities, Shiksha Bhavana; the Institute of Science, Sangit Bhavana; Institute of Dance, Drama and Music, Vinaya Bhavana, Institute of Education, Rabindra Bhavana, Institute of Tagore Studies and Research, Palli-Samgathana Vibhaga; Institute of Rural Reconstruction, and Palli Shiksha Bhavana; Institute of Agricultural Sciences. 

There are also other centres, affiliated to major institutions such as Nippon Bhavana, the Indira Gandhi Centre for National Integration, Rural Extension Centre, Silpa Sadana; Centre for Rural Craft, Technology and Design, Palli-Charcha Kendra,Centre for Social Studies and Rural Development, Centre for Biotechnology, Centre for Mathematics Education, Centre for Environmental Studies, Computer Centre and Indira Gandhi Centre for National Integration.

As well as Patha-Bhavana, there are two schools for kindergarten level education, Mrinalini Ananda Pathsala, Santosh Pathsala, a school for primary and secondary education known as Shiksha Satra, and a school of higher secondary education known as Uttar-Shiksha Sadana.

Another worth visiting place around Santiniketan is remnants of "Khoai"- a name coined by the Poet himself for a special kind of undulating laterite land formation. The stream of rainwater meandering through it offers a magnificent view during monsoon.

                                                  Biswakabi Rabindra Nath Tagore 



Houses around Santiniketan :

Around santineketan house there were also many houses built for teachers and students. Many of them were destroyed. They were "Gairik", "Sanskar bhawan", "Dwarik-bithika", "Prak-kuthir". "Dehali", "Santoshalaya", "Notunbari" , "Benukunjo", "Mukut" , "Kalobari" etc. named houses were still there :

Gairik :

A house was situated at the Ashram pukur side which was known as "Gairik"

Sanskarbhawan :

It was located at the southest side of Ashram pukur and the north side of Amrakunjo.Many workers and students lived here at very low expenses.The student who lived here,made a garden and it was known as Garden house.Latter it is known as “Sanskar bhawan”. The house named so because during this time there was a difference between people for their caste.But in a sanskar bhawan all students lived equally.

Dwarik :

It was situated at the left side of the gate of ‘Ananda pathsala’ .It was made for Sir Pearson.Sir Andrews was also lived here.Latter it became a office of Siksha bhawan.On the year 1956 the house ws broken due to heavy rainfall.

Dehali :

Rabindranath used to live with his wife Mrinalini Devi in this two storied building. The word "Dehali" may be taken from "Meghdut". The meaning of the word is the frame of a door. Dehali was the entrance of the Ashram house.

Notun-Bari (New House) :

Around 1902/03 “Notun –Bari” was made where Tagore’s mother-in-law lived with her grandsons and granddaughters after the death of Mrinalini Devi.

Prak-kuthir :

It was the the part of Ashram.Now it became the Somindra Library.In the beginning of the Ashram Vidyalaya Gajadananda Roy and Satishchandra Roy was lived here.