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The ashram that Tagore built: Santiniketan

posted on Monday, August 25, 2008 08:24 PM

Author: Sanjay Kumar, Brighton

Like most Indians who call Britain home I straddle two cultures – English and Indian; Western and Eastern. When in India, Santiniketan, Tagore’s ashram, is the place I go to when I feel the need to reaffirm a bit of my Indian identity and heritage, as well as reaffirming my own humanity. It is my place, the place where I find inner calm.

Santiniketan, the ‘Abode of Peace’, is a very welcome change from the hectic, frantic traffic, noise and dirt of Calcutta. Even after the briefest of visits to the shady university campus with an imprint of its artistic heritage, and its quite, almost rural charm makes a profound impression on most visitors.

The Maharishi Debendranath Tagore, the father of the poet, started the ashram which was later named ‘Santiniketan’. In 1901 Rabindranath started an experimental place of learning with a ‘classroom’ under the trees, and a group of just five students. It went on to become what is now known as Vishva Bharati University. The name was given in 1921. It now attracts students from all over the world and aspires to be a spiritual meeting ground in a serene, culturally rich and artistic environment.

There are faculties in all major disciplines, although the humanities and performing arts dominate. Sculptures, paintings, frescoes and murals are scattered all around the campus, particularly paintings by Rabindranath and Nandalal Bose and sculptures by Ramkinkar. Open-air classes are still a unique feature of this, most unique place of learning.

http://www.visva-bharati.ac.in

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