Bolpur – Footprints of Tagore

Bolpur – The land of Bauls. The land of Visva –Bharati. The sacred earth that holds Tagore’s footprints.

The land of red soil. The fragrance of poetry. The land that holds Shantiniketan.

Shantiniketan – Tagore’s home. The pilgrimage of Bengali intellectuals. The abode of poetry. Where the Baul songs and the ture of Ektara seeps inside the soul by the very air you breathe in.

Fellow Traveler, if thy seek’th knowledge,

Visit Bolpur,

If thou seek’th wiseness,

Visit Bolpur.

If thou want to taste music,

Stay there forever.

The land of the wise old Bard,

Will empower thy with the knowledge of

Rythms and Rhyms…..

 Situated 145kms from the metropolitan named Kolkata, Bolpur serves as a relief from the cacophony.

Here, the main attraction is Shantiniketan, previously known as Bhubandanga (named after the local dacoit). Rabindranath Tagore’s father, Maharshi Debendranath Tagore established Shantiniketan in 1863. In 1901, Rabindranath founded a Brahmacharya school there, which later became known as Patha Bhavan, where education was imparted according to his ideals and classes were held under the trees, cradled by nature, away from the four-walled cages. After Tagore received the Nobel Prize in 1913, he expanded the school to a university, Visva Bharati. Kala Bhavan, the art school, is a must see, because of the associations with Nandalal Bose and Satyajit Ray. Other illustrious students included Amartya Sen and Indira Gandhi.

While in Bolpur, Take an evening stroll by the Kopai. The jungles of Shaal. The village of the Bauls.

Get smeared with colours during Basanta Utsab.

Basnta Utsab- the Festival of Spring. We know it as Holi.

Or, get lost in Poush Mela, started by Maharshi Devendranath Tagore on 21 December, 1843.

It is held every year during the month of December in the fields of Purbapalli.

P.S: There are many trains from Kolkata. One can also avail bus routes. You will get a number of hotels in Bolpur for accommodation. In Bolpur, it’s best to travel by a battery car or a Cycle rickshaw.

So, off to Bolpur, and get a taste of the Celibral Bengal!!

(image courtesy: Google Images)

• About the Author

About Shreejit Guha

Run, Jump, Climb to the cliffs of Isolation and jump into the sea of madness and cacophony. Listen intently to the paroxysm and choose your way. Be content. And be Confused. Thus is my philosophy.