Situated in the Birbhum district of West Bengal, Shantiniketan is a peaceful sojourn that displays the historical significance of Rabindranath Tagore. Calm and relaxing, the town carries a pleasant aura in its simplicity and tranquil weather. The town became so popular due to Rabindranath Tagore who did a number of his literary creations on the ground of this place. Shantiniketan is mainly known for its university that is full of literary classics and enriched with historical setting and cool atmosphere. At present, Shantiniketan has become one of the greatest tourist destinations in West Bengal with some of the wonderful places in its proximity for visiting. Go through the following lines to know more about this wonderful place.
Vishwabharati University
It is the biggest appeal of the town and a public central university that was founded by Rabindranath Tagore. The university is divided into institutes, study centers, departments and schools. It also features several architectures like Konark, Shyamali, Punscha, Udayana, and Udichi. Each of these architectures displays a charismatic feature of Indian art and culture.
Kala Bhavan
Situated inside the university campus of Shantiniketan, Kala Bhavan is the cultural heart of the town. Kala Bhavan is a unique center for visual art practice and research in India. Here, traditional art and culture is taught and preached.
Deer Park (Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary)
Located 3 km away from the town, it is the most interesting forest area of the Shantiniketan. Due to its natural green forests, Deer Park is tourist paradise that is known for its ever green forests, natural beauty and adorable species of deer like Blackbuck and Spotted Deer wandering around with their pristine innocence. It also features different species of birds making it a natural bird sanctuary. Meet here animals like jackals and foxes.
Kankalitala
Situated on the banks of Kopai River, Kankalitala is a temple town that is a little away from Shantiniketan. It is a famous Hindu shrine. Kankalitala is one among the fifty one Shakti Peethas of Goddess Parvati. Here the waist (kankal in Bengali) of Parvati had fallen.
Jaydev Kenduli
Situated on the banks of Ajay River, Jaydev Kenduli is a beautiful village that is supposed to be the birthplace of Jaydev, the author of Geet Govinda. It has become a popular religious center with the time by housing several temples and ashrams. Visit this place on the occasion of Makar Sankranti when an annual fair is being organized.
Chhatimtala
It is a popular tourist spot in Shantiniketan where Rabindranath Tagore used to meditate daily for finding the complete peace. It features a prayer hall of Maharshi Devendranath Tagore that attracts many visitors.
Tagore’s Ashram
Founded by the father of Rabindranath Tagore, Tagore Ashram was established with the purpose of spreading the concept of Brahmo Dharma. At present, the ashram is engaged in development activities of the socio-economic level of the poor & deprived. The Ashram is a beautiful picnic spot that is situated in a scenic setting.
Visit Shantinikentan that literally means abode of peace and indulge into its true meaning. If you are come abroad, go for booking international flights for Kolkata and take a cab from here to reach this place.
Author Bio: Amrita Barnwal is a literature graduate and post graduate in journalism and mass communication. Passionate for writing and traveling, Amrita is associated with BookEasyTrip.com (an online travel portal of India for cheap flights, hotels and holiday packages). She has written a number of articles on different aspects of travel and tourism and invites posts from different bloggers to maintain her travel blog BookEasyTripTravelBlog.com.
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