Santiniketan

Baul singers

Santiniketan is a town in the central region of West Bengal. The town is home to the Visva-Bharati University, founded by Rabindranath Tagore in 1921. It has produced such diverse personalities as Indira Gandhi (once a Prime Minister of India) and Amartya Sen (a Nobel laureate) and has been home to great artists and musicians. Santiniketan is also famous for the baul culture. Around 1.2 million visitors visit Santiniketan annually.

This article covers the Bolpur urban agglomeration, which also includes Sriniketan and Surul.

Understand

Read

• Rabindranath, Santiniketan, Sriniketan by Tapan Kumar Basak. Available locally.

Get in

By plane

The nearest airport is Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport (RDP ^IATA) at Durgapur, but only a few flights are present at the airport. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU ^IATA) at Kolkata is the nearest airport to get to Santiniketan smoothly.

By train

See also: Rail travel in India

Santiniketan is two to three hours by train from Kolkata, depending on the departing railway station. For schedules check with Indian Railways.

If you are travelling with a lot of baggage, you may struggle for space even in reserved cars, and hiring a car may be a better alternative to reach Santiniketan.

• 1 Bolpur Shantiniketan railway station. Convenient connections are 13017/13018 Gana Devta Express departing Howrah at 06:05, 3015/3016 Shantiniketan Express departing Howrah at 10:05AM (this is the only train which originates/terminates in Howrah and Bolpur, so one has a better chance of finding seats on this train rather than the other trains if one buys unreserved tickets. If you are buying reserved tickets, then it won't make a difference), 2347/2348 Sahid Rampurhat Express departing Howrah at noon (and taking only 2 hr 20 min - the shortest time), 3011/3012 Malda Inter-city Express departing Howrah at 3:25PM, 5657/5658 Kanchenjunga Express departing Sealdah at 6:45AM, 2345/2346 Saraighat Express, 215/216 Visvabharati Fast Passenger, 3071/3072 Jamalpur Express, 209/210 Darbhanga Passenger are other good trains. (updated May 2020)
• 2 Prantik railway station. Few express and passengers trains stop there. (updated Aug 2022)

By bus

Santiniketan is well connected by buses from all around. From Kolkata, if you want to go by bus, then you have to take Kolkata-Asansol bus or Kolkata-Suri bus. For Asansol bound bus you have to get down near Panagarh and for Suri-bound bus you have to get down near Ilambazar and for both cases you have to catch another bus for Santiniketan.

• 3 Bolpur Bus Station. 

By car

Santiniketan is 212 km (132 mi) from Kolkata by road. Good drivers can cover the distance in about 3 hours.

Santiniketan is connected with Kolkata by an excellent 4-lane freeway. From Kolkata, travel to Dankuni and take the Durgapur Expressway (NH 19, formerly NH 2). It will bypass Saktigarh, Bardhaman and Panagarh. At Panagarh (Darjeeling More), turn right. After the expressway crosses the Ajay river take the road to the right at Ilambazar and proceed towards Bolpur. At the Santiniketan-Sriniketan junction (also called Surul More) take the road to the left. Coming from the direction of Kolkata, one can also take the NH 114 route via Talit-Guskara-Bhedia-Surul More by taking a right turn from the Durgapur Expressway just after crossing Bardhaman on the right (where the Renaissance Township is on the left) and taking this route via Nababhat More. It saves time and the distance is less from the above route by about 50 km.

Get around

By rickshaw

Electric rickshaws (locally known as totos) are the most convenient and cheap means of transportation these days. The older cycle rickshaws are still available and can be availed, though it would cost more. If you are a tourist, don't get on the cycle rickshaws in front of the museum that are manned by the persistent teenagers as they will take you on a farcical circulatory routes to make you spend more. Choose the older guys. Or just walk round the town. See the map of Visva Bharati complex online.

By car

Hired cars and taxis are not always readily available.

By bicycle

If you are planning an extended stay, it may be worth your while to purchase a bicycle from one of the many local cycle shops. A brand new bicycle costs ₹3,200-3,600.

See

Buddha by Ramkinkar Baij

An itinerant baul singer entertaining tourists in the Khoai area

Amra Kunja

• Look out for sculptures and frescoes of Nandalal Bose, Ramkinkar Baij and Binode Bihari Mukherjee, particularly around Kala Bhavana.
• Brahmo Mandir. Upasana Griha, constructed in 1891 
• 1 Kalo Bari. Profusely decorated 
• 2 Gitanjali Rail Museum, Station Rd (opposite Bolpur Shantiniketan railway station). (updated Aug 2022)

Visva-Bharati University

Chhatimtala

Santiniketan Griha (view from the south)

Santiniketan Rd. Mon to Fri 9AM-5PM.

Established in 1921, Visva-Bharati University is a brainchild of Rabindranath Tagore. It is a unique learning centre in the sense that the education takes place under a tree, instead of in a classroom. Visitors are not allowed to loiter around educational centres during working hours as these disturb the classes being held.

• 3 Bangladesh Bhavana. Well-designed new addition with auditorium.  
• 4 Cheena Bhavana. China study centre. (updated Aug 2022)
• 5 Chhatimtala. Prayer place (under the "Chhatim" tree) of Maharshi Debendranath Tagore, father of Rabindranath Tagore. (updated Aug 2022)
• 6 Hindi Bhavana. Hindi study centre 
• 7 Kala Bhavana. College of fine arts and crafts, has a museum exhibiting sculptures, frescoes and murals and a library of art books. (updated Aug 2022)
• 8 Nippon Bhavana. Japan study centre 
• 9 Patha Bhavana. Secondary school, is of particular interest, being an example of the traditional Brahmacharya Ashram. (updated Aug 2022)
• 10 Rabindra Bhavana Museum. Open on working days from 10:30AM-4:30PM. Open on Sundays. Closed on Wednesadys and Thursdays. During Poush Mela the place is over-crowded and queues for entry are long. The museum hall is called Bichitra. Constructed in Tagore's birth centenary year 1961. There are original manuscripts, letters, documents, medals (including Nobel Prize medallion), plaques, certificates, paintings, photographs etc. The five houses used by Tagore during his life named Udayan, Konark, Shyamali, Punascha and Udichi. No photography in Rabindra Bhavana and Uttarayan complex. Combined entry fee for Uttarayan complex and Rabindra Bhavana Museum is ₹10 for students, ₹50 for Indians and ₹300 for foreigners. (updated Aug 2022)
• 11 Sangeet Bhavana. College of music and dance. 
• 12 Tagore's Ashrama. Closed on Wednesdays. One has to walk through the area. Guides are generally available outside Uttarayan Complex/Rabindra Bhavana, otherwise one has to follow the crowd. The first building in the area was a guest house built in 1863 by Maharshi Debendranath Tagore, father of Rabindranath Tagore. It was named Santiniketan and thereafter the entire place acquired that name. Hermitage created with a Trust Deed in 1888 by Maharshi Debendranath Tagore. The area has several buildings associated with the Tagores—Santiniketan Griha, Nutan Bari, Dehali etc. School classes and major functions are held in the Amra Kunja (mango grove). Some of the Visva-Bharati institutions are also located here. Some distance away on the eastern side is a small hillock with a large banyan tree. It was a favourite of Maharshi Debendranath Tagore. (updated Aug 2022)
• 13 Siksha Bhavan. College of science. 
• Vidya Bhavan. College of humanities 
• Vinaya Bhavan. Teacher's training college 

Do

• Briksharopana. Planting of saplings and Halakarshana ploughing of the fields on 22-23 Shrabon (August). 
• Maghotsav. Anniversary of Brahmo Samaj celebrated on the 11 Magh (25 January), with prayers and songs at Chhatimtala. 
• 1 Poush Mela. The fair is held from 7-9 Poush (22/23-25 December). Tribal sports, folk songs and dances including songs by bauls, the itinerant singers, are a part of the fair and festivities. Some sort of "bhanga mela" or broken fair, with some shops, continue till the end of December. Accommodation is heavily booked during this period. Anybody wanting to visit during this period will need to plan ahead for hotel bookings. (updated Dec 2022)
• Rabindra Jayanti. Although the birth anniversary of Rabindranath falls on 25th Boishakh (8/9 May), the anniversary as well as the Bengali New Year (Nobo Barsho) is celebrated on the first day of the Bengali New Year (Poila Boishakh) in mid-April with songs, dances, and recitations by the students. 
• Varshamangal. Festival of rains during August/September. Tagore was a poet of nature and some of his finest creations were about the rains. 
• 2 Vasanta Utsav. Held to celebrate Holi (March). The students dance and sing their ways through Amrakunja, followed by open-air variety programmes. (Accommodation is heavily booked during this period. Anybody wanting to visit during his period will have to plan ahead.). (updated Aug 2022)

Buy

• Handicrafts. Batik prints, leather craft. A favourable time for shopping is during the Poush Mela. The unique style of embroidery associated with Santiniketan is known as 'kantha stitch'. 'Sudha Karu Shilpa' in Andrews Palli, Santiniketan, 'Amar Kutir' in Sriniketan, and 'Basundhara' in Sonajhuri offer quality kantha stitchwork in the form of sarees, and dupattas throughout the year. Other handicrafts like dhokra (artistic brassware from nearby Ausgram), leather bags, bamboo toys and locally handwoven cotton are also worth a look. (updated Jul 2019)
• 1 Saturday Market (Khoai Mela), Sonajhuri. It starts from around 3PM and goes on till about 5:30-6PM only on Saturdays and is worth visiting. Variety of items available, including local handicrafts. Baul programmes organised (updated Jul 2019)
• 2 Radhashyam Agarwala, Santiniketan Rd. (updated Aug 2022)

Eat

• 1 Madhurima, Santiniketan Rd. A sweet shop on the way to Santiniketan. (updated Aug 2022)
• 2 SK Restaurant, Bolpur-Santiniketan Rd, ☏ +91 9434132416. 10AM-10PM daily. This restaurant, near Jambuni Bus stand opposite to Gitanjali Prekhagriha, is very good, both in terms of food quality and quantity. Look for "morabba", a Suri speciality (type of sweet meat). (updated Aug 2022)

Drink

Santiniketan and the surrounding areas offer a few bottle shops for wine and liquor purchases. A few restaurants have permits to serve beer (Kharimati restaurant, Park Hotel restaurant) and one local bar with a liquor licence is the Moon Bar at the new Kharimati Hotel. During tribal festivals, the Santals enjoy rice beer which is served warm, is quite tasty and has a low alcohol content.

Sleep

	Note: To avoid the unsavory, corrupt, and thoroughly untrustworthy booking services based in Kolkata, it is best to get a place to stay on arrival without advance reservation.

This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room:
Budget	₹1000
Mid-range	₹1000 to ₹3000
Splurge	₹3000

Budget

• 1 Bolpur Lodge, Bhubandanga, ☏ +91 3463 252662, +91 3463 252737. ₹150-300. 
• Country Roads Home Stay (adjacent to Mela Math), ☏ +91 9903398059. American breakfast included. Well maintained. 24 hr cold water available and fridge. ₹750. 
• 2 Krishna Chura Homestay, Purbapally, ☏ +91 9748445544. Hospitable family home with modern facilities. 
• Manashi Lodge, ☏ +91 3463 254200. ₹250-500. 
• 3 Park Guest House, ☏ +91 3463 226286. ₹472 for non-A/C, ₹850 for A/C rooms. 
• Rangamati Tourist Lodge, Bolpur Rd, ☏ +91 3463-252305. ₹310-₹750. 
• 4 Hotel Sathi, Bhubandanga. From ₹750. (updated Aug 2019)
• 5 Hotel Basundhara, Baganpara, Simantapally, ☏ +91-9434132549, [email protected]. Hotel Basundhara is a highly reputed name as the Best Hotel in Bolpur, Santiniketan. Fully equipped AC conference hall is available with all modern facilities and amenities. ₹450 Non-AC - ₹750 AC. (updated Dec 2019)

Mid-range

• 6 Camellia Hotel, Prantik, ☏ +91 3463 262043, +91 33 2334 4069, +91 3463 2321 9688, +91 9007030199. Check-in: 8AM. ₹950-2000. 
• 7 Hotel Royal Bengal, Bhubandanga, ☏ +91 90 0798 2002, +91 97 4810 2002, [email protected]. Check-in: noon, check-out: 11AM. 40 A/C rooms with attached attached western toilets with Hot & Cold water,cableTV in rooms, WI-FI, Telephone, Room service & House-keeping facilities. Multi-cuisine restaurant has continental, Indian & Chinese options, car parking, IDD telephones and , Landscaped garden along with a children’s play area, banquet/conference facilities, Live cultural shows can be arranged (fee). 24-hr secuity and off-street parking. ₹1550-2,650. 
• Jiraan-The retreat, ☏ +91 9333510012, +91 9332083644. ₹700-1,500. 
• 8 Rater Tara Diner Rabi Guest House (Star at Night, Sun During Day), Tinni House, Phul Danga, Taltor Rd, Behind PHE Bunglow (1 km from university campus near to canal and Bird Sanctuary), ☏ +91 98 3004 8007, +91 94 3301 4277. Check-in: 1PM. A double storied garden guesthouse having AC rooms, CTV, Refrigerator, attached western toilets with hot water, fan etc. All rooms & toilets are well maintained & linens are cleaned. Separate driver accommodation is available on nominal charges, car parking is free. From ₹1250. 
• 9 Shantobitan Tourism Property (Santiniketan Tourist Lodge), ☏ +91 3463-252398, +91 9732100920, [email protected]. Run by West Bengal Tourism. ₹700-900 Non-AC, ₹1900-2400 AC. 

Splurge

• 10 Chutti Holiday Resort, 241 Charupalli, Jamboni (off Sriniketan Rd), ☏ +91 34 6325 2692, +91 34 6325 5015. Reservation from Kolkata: +91 33 99 0357 0921 Ilaco House, 3/1 Brabourne Road ₹1,650- 3,540 Special packages available. 
• 11 Raktokorobi Karugram (রক্তকরবী কারুগ্রাম), Ruppur (7 km from Surul More (Sriniketan)), ☏ +91 9903392484. Check-in: 11AM, check-out: 10AM. Raktokorobi Karugram is located in the ethnic surroundings of the picturesque village of Ruppur and is 10 km from Bolpur Railway Station. There are 9 AC duplex huts, all designed in a traditional way, so that visitors can feel at one with the natural space around them and to promote local artistry. The duplex huts have been created using mud, and wall murals have been painted by various tribal artists. Each cottage has a living room, a bedroom, a change room, a bathroom, an open terrace. The multicuisine restaurant serves quality Indian and Chinese dishes. Parking and driver's accommodation free. ₹3500. 
• Sonajhuri Homestay, Sonajuhri Forest, ☏ +91 9830011715, [email protected]. ₹3200. (updated May 2019)

Nearby

The idol in Kankalitala temple

• 1 Biswa Bangla Biswabidyalay (Bolpur University). Although the university is newer and less-visited compared to the Visva-Bharati University, it also celebrates festivals like Vasanta Utsav. (updated Dec 2022)
• 2 Kankalitala, 9 km (5.6 mi) from Santiniketan. It is one of the 51 Shakti Pithas. According to mythology, when the dead body of Goddess Parvati was cut by Lord Vishnu, her waist fell at Kankalitala. (updated Aug 2022)

Go next

• Bakreshwar - 58 km, Shaktipitha, also famous for the Bakranath Shiva temple and hot springs.
• Durgapur - 60 km, the steel city. One can travel on to Bishnupur another 70 km in the same direction or on to Asansol, another 30 km, along NH 19.
• Kendubillo - 30 km, on the bank of the river Ajay, believed by many to be the birthplace of 12th century Sanskrit poet Jaydev, author of the masterpiece Geeta Govinda. A fair is held here on Makar Sankranti (mid January). Baul songs are the principal attraction of this mela. There is a temple with terracota decorations.
• Labhpur - 30 km, a Shaktipitha, birthplace of Tarashankar Bandyopadhyay.
• Massanjore - 75 km, in Dumka district of Jharkhand, a dam across the river Mayurakshi with a picturesque reservoir. You can travel on to Deoghar another 98 km in the same direction.
• Nalhati - 100 km, Shakti Pitha
• Nanoor - 20 km, birthplace of Chandidas, 14th century Sanskrit poet, famous for his Vaishnava Padavalis. There is a temple dedicated to Devi Basuli.
• Sainthia - 44 km, Shaktipeetha
• Tarapith - 88 km, Shaktipeetha, famous temple of Tara Devi