When talking about the reasons why one travels, the most common answer is “to escape from the mundane routined life and to find some peace”. And well, bingo ! Apart from travel enthusiasts and world explorers, this reason is actually one of the most common ones. What if WanderTrust told you that there’s a place in India that’s literally the embodiment of peace, harmony and solace. You heard us right ! Shantiniketan – the abode of peace !
They say that winter is one of the most peaceful and loved seasons of all time. And when in West Bengal, the chilly winds start hitting you a little earlier than they usually should. One day you are cleaning for Diwali and complaining of the humidity and the other day, poof – your blanket’s out. Shantiniketan, surprisingly, maintains one of the most human-friendly and relaxed weather even during the winters. Nothing unexpected, smooth transitions and a comfortable peaceful winter ! Probably one of the main reasons why WanderTrust would want you to go on a trip to Shantiniketan this November !
The university town of Shantiniketan is the centre of Bengal’s art and culture. The famous university Visva Bharati, founded by RabindraNath Tagore attracts students from all over India and overseas. Besides this, the place is home to the famous “Rabindra Bhavan”, which is lined up with the personal belongings of Tagore including books, photographs as well as his writings – including manuscripts and correspondence exchanged. One can also see the medal received when Tagore was awarded the Nobel Prize.
Now that we are all excited to travel to Shantiniketan, lets delve in and have a look at few of the places that this abode of peace has to offer to its tourists apart from Tagore Ashram and Rabindra Bhavan.
Chattimtala
This place happened to be the meditation spot of Tagore’s Father, Maharshi Debendranath Tagore. A great scholar himself, he advocated meditation and introspection as the keys to success and world progress. This place will definitely replenish you from the inside.
Khoai Mela
If you are lucky enough to have a trip to Shantiniketan around a Saturday, you can certainly not miss this fair. The fair starts at 4 am in the morning and skilful artisans from in and around Shantiniketan set up stalls. Household items, handicrafts, clothes – you mention it and this fair has it.
Deer Park
About 3 km from the main campus is the Ballavpur forest. The forest shelters a naturally bred large family of deer. It is now known as the Deer park. What’s really special about this park is the fact that there’s the Deer Park Eco Park nearby which is considered one of the best accommodation places here.
Sangeet Bhavan
The Sangeet Bhavan fosters talents of music and dance, as evident from the name. Regular practices are held and one can see students taking singing or dancing lessons at all times in the day. It’s quite relaxing and soothing during the evenings here.
By now you must have realised that Shantiniketan is a town that is away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. It’s more of a relaxed and composed town that has its roots strongly embedded. With the perfect combination of history and modern culture, this place is a boon for travellers.
Having said that, don’t miss out on your opportunity to travel these winters to a place like Shantiniketan that will fill your inner psyche with happiness and composure. Fill out our survey form now and you never know if you might end up enjoying peace and love in the abode of peace,