‘The Abode of Peace’, Shantiniketan is the land of Rangamati (red soil), Palash phul (Palash flower) and Kabiguru entwined with nature’s beauty. A small town situated near Bolpur in Birbhum district of West Bengal and 212 km from Kolkata, Shantiniketan is made popular by the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, who founded the Viswa Bharati University here. Formerly called Bhubandanga, named after the local dacoit, Bhuban, Shantiniketan was actually renamed by Maharshi Debendranath Tagore (Rabi Thakur’s father) in 1862 after which the place was owned by the Tagore family. In 1901, Brahmacharya Asram was established by Rabindranath, a school that was designed on the lines of ancient gurukul system; that later extended into Viswa Bharati University.
Shantiniketan is famous for fairs and festivals such as Poush Mela which is flocked by tourists during December; Joydev Mela and most importantly the Basanta Utsav, made more enthralling by the Baul singers in the month of March.