Shantiniketan and Digha – Two Weekend Getaways near Kolkata
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Posted On :
Jul-22-2011
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Article Word Count :
831
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Andhra Pradesh is situated on the Deccan (south) plateau which is one of the oldest geological formations in India. The mighty Godavari and Krishna rivers cut their way through the plateau, forming large deltas before entering the Bay of Bengal.
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Shantiniketan, literally means “abode of Peace” that reverberates the memory of the great poet Rabindranath Tagore, is the embodiment of peace and tranquility and the world renowned Visva Bharathi University is located at this place. Both the University as well as the Santhiniketan has a concoction of cultures of west and east targeting a common cause of World Peace as it attracts various talents from all over India and other foreign nations. It has the stature of a spiritual meeting place in a serene, artistic and culturally rich secluded environment.
In 1862 AD, Debendranath Tagore, father of famous poet and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, established Shantiniketan mainly due to the attraction of the natural beauty and calmness of the locality, near the small town Bolpur in West Bengal. In 1863, a trust was formed by Maharshi Debendranath Tagore for running the Santhiniketan. This trust played an active part in organizing Paush Mela, with the primary aim of propagating a new religious faith known as Brahmo Dharmo. Paush Mela conducted every year in December is the major celebration and the striking attraction in Santhiniketan. The extraordinary feature of Shantiniketan are the splendid sculptures, frescoes, murals and paintings of Rabindranath, Nandlal Bose, Ramkinkar, Bindobehari Mukhopadhyaya that adorn the campus.
Rabindranath Tagore set up a school named Brahmacharya School in 1901 at Santhiniketan, presently this is known as Patha Bhavan. Annual Paush Utsav was made as a converging place for scholars, local people and urban people during his period. It is an event in which artisans display their artifacts and a fair in which all types of products are sold.
The shopping hubs in and around this city are Grameen (Bolpur), Sarvodaya Ashram (Bolpur), (Handicrafts and handlooms) Vishwa Bharati Shilpa Sadan (Shantiniketan), Shantiniketan Cooperative Stores (Shantiniketan).
The weather in Shantiniketan is usually a pleasant one although you will come across the normal weather changes during summer, winter and Monsoon. Nonetheless Spring has its own charm in Shantiniketan not only because of its natural beauty blooming to its fullest amidst the lush greenery but also due to the famous Vasanta Utsav held to mark the festival of Holi with the onset of Spring.
Places to Visit:
China Bhavan
Chhatimtala
Kala Bhavan
Patha Bhavan
Prayer Hall
Bichitra
Sangeet Bhavan
Uttarayan Complex: The poet lived and worked in the Northern Complex consisting of several buildings as : Udayana, Konarka, Shyamali, Punascha and Udichi. The Bichitra ( or, Rabindra Bhavan ) designed by the poet's son Rathindranath Tagore.
Fullora
Nalhati
Kankalitala
Bakreshwar
Kendubilwa
Nanoor
Tarapith
Deer Park
Digha:
Digha is a town located in the East Midnapore district, West Bengal, India. It is situated on the northern end of the Bay of Bengal. It was originally known as Beerkul. Digha is a seaside resort town, which is known for its beaches. It is one of the most popular holiday destinations for the eastern part of India. Digha is popularly known as “Brighton of the East”. Being just 187 km from Kolkata, Digha is the most sought after destination for weekend holidays and getaways. Thousands of tourists visit this place every year especially in the monsoons.
Digha was discovered by the English tourist John Frank Smith who came to this place in 1923. He was impressed with the scenic views and wrote about this place in his books which proved to be of great help to promote this place as a tourist destination. Later he convinced Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, the then Chief Minister of West Bengal to develop this place as a beach resort.
The sunrise and sunset at Digha sea beach is enjoyable. The sea is calm and shallow, making it perfect for the marine activities like boating swimming, scuba diving, water biking and surfing. It is a blissful romantic getaway from the clutter and chaos of city life. The Digha market is open at low tide. Curios made of sea-shell, shell jewellery, moderate varieties of reputed Madur of Midnapore (hand-woven mat made of weeds) in colorful designs, cottage crafts of Digha and Midnapur are available at the beach and at other outlets in town.
The summers usually start from the month of April and continue till June. The month of July witnesses the onset of monsoons which lasts till the end of September. However, with October, the mercury further dips away, making way for winters to set in. Winter lasts till the month of February and is marked by pleasant and enjoyable climate. July to March is the best time to visit the beach town of Digha.
Places to Visit:
Chandaneshwar
Talasari
Shankarpur
Junput
Mandarmani
Amarabati Park
Nearby Places of Interest:
Udaipur
Subarnarekha River
It is recommended that you consider booking long distance bus tickets on "Air Conditioned Volvo buses" operated by all operators as the quality of the other buses vary significantly. Bus tickets are easily available online. One can plan trip and do bus booking online in advance. Online bus booking is an easy process which can save your time and price.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Shantiniketan and Digha – Two Weekend Getaways near Kolkata_68080.aspx
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Travel and Leisure
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