Santiniketan

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The Cultural Oasis of Santiniketan: A Unique Blend of Tradition and Modernity

The small town of Santiniketan, nestled in the Birbhum district of West Bengal, India, stands as a testament to the harmonious fusion of tradition and modernity. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023, this cultural oasis was the brainchild of Rabindranath Tagore, the revered poet and philosopher, who envisioned a space that transcended religious and cultural boundaries.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Established in rural West Bengal in 1901 by the renowned poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore, Santiniketan was a residential school and centre for art based on ancient Indian traditions and a vision of the unity of humanity transcending religious and cultural boundaries. A ‘world university’ was established at Santiniketan in 1921, recognizing the unity of humanity or “Visva Bharati”. Distinct from the prevailing British colonial architectural orientations of the early 20th century and of European modernism, Santiniketan represents approaches toward a pan-Asian modernity, drawing on ancient, medieval and folk traditions from across the region.

Encyclopedia Record: Shantiniketan

Shantiniketan is a neighbourhood of Bolpur town in the Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in West Bengal, India, approximately 152 km north of Kolkata. It was established by Debendranath Tagore, and later expanded by his son, Rabindranath Tagore whose vision became what is now a university town with the creation of Visva-Bharati. It is also the birthplace of Indian Nobel Laureate and Amartya Sen, who was also an alumnus of the school.

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