Kolkata: Santiniketan, an abode of peace of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, has been recommended for inscription to the World Heritage List by ICOMOS, the advisory body to UNESCO World Heritage Centre, thereby adding another feather to its cap.
” Great news for India on the Jayanti of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. Santiniketan in West Bengal has been recommended for inscription to the World Heritage List by ICOMOS, the advisory body to UNESCO World Heritage Centre,” said Union Culture Minister Kishan Reddy.
” This furthers the vision of PM Narendra Modi to showcase our rich cultural heritage to the world. This will formally be announced in the World Heritage Committee meeting to be held at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in September 2023, ” Reddy added.
West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said, ” Grateful to Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji on behalf of the people of WB and followers of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore Ji. ”
” This shows PM Modi’s commitment to show West Bengal’s rich cultural heritage to the world, ” he stated.
The recommendation was made by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), which is the advisory body to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
Santiniketan was originally called Bhubandanga, after the name of the village where it was located.
The town of Santiniketan was founded by Maharshi Devendranath Tagore, the father of Rabindranath Tagore, who was a Bengali philosopher, polymath, and the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Maharshi Devendranath Tagore was a follower of the Brahmo Samaj, a Hindu reform movement that emphasized the worship of one supreme God and the importance of education and social reform.
In 1863, Maharshi Devendranath Tagore purchased a large piece of land in Bhubandanga, which he renamed Santiniketan, meaning “abode of peace.” He established an ashram, or spiritual retreat, on the land and started to teach his students about the principles of the Brahmo Samaj, as well as the importance of nature and simplicity.
Rabindranath Tagore first visited Santiniketan in 1878 when he was 17 years old. In 1888, Debendranath dedicated the property to establish a Brahmavidyalaya through a trust deed.
In 1901, Rabindranath started a Brahmacharya ashrama, which became known as Patha Bhavana in 1925. In 1913, Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel Prize in Literature. In 1921, Rabindranath Tagore founded Visva Bharati, which was declared a central university and institute of national importance in 1951.
Rabindranath Tagore, who was born in Calcutta in 1861, was deeply influenced by his father’s teachings and spent much of his childhood at the ashram in Santiniketan. He later went on to study at the University of London and became a renowned poet, writer, and philosopher. In 1901, Rabindranath Tagore returned to Santiniketan and established Visva-Bharati University, which was initially a small school for the study of Indian culture and traditions.
Visva-Bharati University was later expanded to include a wide range of disciplines, including arts, sciences, and humanities. It became a Central University and an Institution of National Importance in 1951 and is now one of the most prestigious universities in India. Rabindranath Tagore also established several other cultural institutions in Santiniketan, including the Kala Bhavan, a school of fine arts, and the Sangit Bhavan, a music school.
Santiniketan became a hub of cultural and intellectual activity, attracting scholars and artists from around the world. It became known for its natural beauty, with its lush green forests and fields, and its peaceful, serene atmosphere. It was also a centre of resistance during India’s struggle for independence, with many of its students and faculty participating in the freedom movement.
Today, Santiniketan is a popular tourist destination, with its many cultural institutions, beautiful natural surroundings, and rich history. It continues to be a centre of learning and cultural exchange and is an important part of India’s cultural and intellectual heritage.
