Since 2010, there have been continuous attempts to have Santiniketan declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Situated in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. UNESCO has designated Santiniketan as the 41st World Heritage Site in India.
Santiniketan, a renowned cultural and educational hub in India, has recently been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in the early 20th century, Santiniketan has long been celebrated for its unique blend of traditional Indian and Western educational philosophies. This prestigious recognition by UNESCO highlights Santiniketan’s exceptional contribution to global culture and education, acknowledging its rich heritage, innovative approach to learning, and the enduring legacy of Tagore’s vision.
Santiniketan is well-known for
Upon seeing this picturesque setting in 1862, Debendranath Tagore, the father of Rabindranath Tagore, decided to create an ashram and erected a home known as Santiniketan, which translates to “abode of peace.” Debendranath Tagore gave the region, formerly known as Bhubadanga, the name Santiniketan because of its meditative atmosphere.
Santiniketan’s architecture is a blend of various styles, reflecting Tagore’s philosophy of embracing diverse cultural influences. The campus includes buildings designed by renowned architects such as Surendranath Kar and Nandalal Bose, featuring a mix of traditional Bengali and modernist elements.
Rabindranath Tagore selected a substantial chunk of the property in 1901 and set up a school using the Brahmacharya Ashram model. Later, this institution changed to become Visva Bharati University.
Tagore established Sriniketan, a rural reconstruction center near Santiniketan, to revitalize traditional crafts and improve rural life. This initiative aimed at economic self-sufficiency and the promotion of local handicrafts, playing a crucial role in preserving Bengal’s cultural heritage.
UNESCO World Heritage Site
The significance of Santiniketan in urban development, designing landscapes, and values related to humanity, architecture, and artistic endeavors was highlighted by the Ministry of Culture’s proposal to add the city to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Santiniketan’s historical and cultural legacy has been preserved through the restoration of a number of its buildings by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Who is Rabindranath Tagore?
On May 7, 1861, in Calcutta, India, Rabindranath Tagore was born into a well-known Bengali family. Of the thirteen children, he was the youngest. Being a polymath, Tagore was exceptionally talented in many areas. In addition to being a poet, he was also a painter, educator, philosopher, musician, dramatist, and social reformer.
With his collection of poetry named “Gitanjali” (Song Offerings), Rabindranath Tagore became the first Asian to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. King George V bestowed the Knighthood for Services to Literature upon Rabindranath Tagore in 1915. Following the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, Tagore surrendered his knighthood. He composed the national anthems of two nations: “Amar Shonar Bangla” (the national anthem of Bangladesh) and “Jana Gana Mana” (the national anthem of India).
He has written plays, essays, novels, short tales, and poems, among other literary works. Among his well-known compositions are “The Home and the World,” “Gora,” Gitanjali, Ghare-Baire, Gora, Manasi, Balaka, Sonar Tori, and “Kabuliwala.” His song “Ekla Chalo Re” is another reason for his notoriety.
He promoted concepts of peace, tolerance, and unification as a social reformer. He supported Indian independence and opposed British colonial rule. His worldview placed a strong emphasis on spirituality, humanism, and the relationship between nature and humanity. Tagore’s work was distinguished by its philosophical and poetic elements, frequently delving into topics of spirituality, nature, and love.
He died on August 7, 1941, and left behind a significant literary legacy as well as a long-lasting influence on Indian and global culture.
The gurukul-based school, the open classrooms in the middle of nature that foster the feeling of being connected to the natural world, the residence of Rabindranath Tagore-Udayana that evokes Buddhist cave art, and the painstaking woodwork in the Ghantalas of Santiniketan that recalls Japanese tearoom design are just a few of the intricate details that go into the design of Santiniketan.
