Santiniketan’s heritage walk: a new window into Tagore’s timeless world – GetBengal story
Bolpur, Santiniketan, Visva-Bharati — these names instantly bring a sense of peace to the mind. It was as if Rabindranath Tagore was drawn by an invisible force to this red-soiled village path beyond the towns. With love, vision, and purpose, he transformed this simple, rustic corner of Bengal into a global centre of learning, art, and culture.
Now, visitors will have a new way to experience the rich heritage, serene environment, and unique architecture of Santiniketan up close. Visva-Bharati is introducing a Heritage Walk, following its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The aim is to offer tourists a deeper understanding of the legacy of Visva-Bharati and Tagore’s philosophy of education and culture.
On September 17, 2023, Santiniketan was officially recognised as a UNESCO World Living Heritage Site. After the pandemic, during the tenure of former Vice-Chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty, entry for tourists into the Visva-Bharati campus had been restricted.
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However, the current Vice-Chancellor, Prabir Kumar Ghosh has taken steps to reopen the gates to visitors. Speaking to the media, he said that the initiative aims to let tourists experience the historic and cultural core of Visva-Bharati more closely.
He, along with other university officials, has already visited Jagadish Kanan, the area adjacent to Rabindra Bhavan, as part of the preparations. To avoid traffic congestion, a separate route is being planned for tourists, such as a walking path from Subarnarekha More to Jagadish Kanan, leading up to Rabindra Bhavan.
According to reports, the Heritage Walk is likely to be launched by mid-August. Initially, a guided tour will be conducted once a week with a limited number of participants. The walk is expected to last around 90 minutes.
Note: Translated by Sabana Yasmin
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