Sightseeing
Sinha Sadan
Sinha Sadan Shantiniketan was originally a part of the ancestral Zaminder of the Sinha family of Raipur, Birbhum. Satyendra Prasanna Sinha, the 1st Baron Sinha donated for the construction of Sinha Sadan with a clock tower and bell. It was in this building that Oxford University conferred its honorary doctorate on the poet, Rabindranath Tagore.
Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary
Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary is located 3 km from Shantiniketan and is popular as Deer Park. Established in 1977. It is a large wooded area with herds of deer and makes a natural bird sanctuary.
Amar Kuthir
Amar Kuthir (meaning: my cottage), once a place of refuge for Independence Movement activists has been turned into a cooperative society for the promotion of arts and crafts. It is located on the banks of the Kopai River, about 15 kilometres from the central areas of Santiniketan.
Sonajhuri Haat
Every Saturday, one can visit the haat (or market) at Sonajhuri, close to Shantiniketan. This is a village market and one can buy local handicrafts, listen to folk music sung by tribal groups and eat local homemade food. It is an excellent place to experience the local culture of Shantiniketan.
Khoai
Khoai in Bengali refers to a geological formation specifically in Birbhum, Bardhhaman, and Bankura districts of West Bengal and some parts of Jharkhand. These parts of India is made up of laterite soil rich in iron oxide, often in the shapes of tiny hills. This is like natural canyon caused by the effect of wind and water erosion on red laterite soil. Khoai is called part of the India's natural heritage.
Visva Bharati
Visva Bharati is a public research central university and an Institution of National Importance located in Shantiniketan, West Bengal. It was founded by Rabindranath Tagore who called it Visva-Bharati, which means the communion of the world with India. Until independence it was a college. Soon after independence, the institution was given the status of a central university in 1951 by an act of the Parliament.
Chatim Tala
This place Constructed by Maharshi Debendra Nath Thakur. This is a serene open space in side Visva-bharati Campus. This is the place where Kabiguru Rabindranath Thakur started teaching his student. This is the tree which is called chhatim and under this tree only the great poet Rabindranath Tagore started the legendary journey of Visva Bharti University. This place is so peaceful that one can actually listen to his heart after sitting here for few minutes.
Upasanalaya
Upasanalaya, The prayer hall that opens on Wednesday only and on occasional dates. Beside it, is the massive Banyan tree likes a hillock- it is said Rabindranath loved to sit under it.
Uttarayan "Bichitra'
Uttarayan "Bichitra' (museum now that displays with many rare and old collection, the replica of Nobel Prize of Viswakabi, you can't check the deep breath coming from inside you). The ticket you will buy here will be valid for other entries. Then Udayan, Konark,
Shyamali, Punascha and Udichi
the five buildings where Rabindranath stayed in different time. Every house has its own history with Rabindranath and many contemporary great men who blessed the places by their presence. Besides Konark, there is his car and a letter-press treadle machine too.
Shal Bithi
Shal Bithi the row of Shal tree, very favourite path of Rabindranath, followed by so many renowned people- Gandhiji, Nehruji, Amartya Sen, Indira Gandhi, Satyajit Ray to name a few.
Kankalitala Temple
Kankalitala Temple It is located about 8 kilometres from Sonajhuri Forest, Situated on the bank of the Kopai River. This is counted amongst the 51 Shaktipeeths of Sati. It is believed that Sati Devi's bones have fallen here.
Kopai River
The Kopai River (also called Sal River) is a tributary of the Bakreshwar River. It flows past such towns as Santiniketan, Bolpur, Kankalitala, Kirnahar and Labhpur in Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a small river in dry season but overflows its banks during the monsoon.
