Why Santiniketan Is Your Ultimate Monsoon Getaway

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Heed our suggestion now, thank us later — the best season to be in Santiniketan is during the monsoons. Yes, you read that right: pass on the winter jostle and the overcrowded Poush Mela, not to mention overpriced everything. Instead, head out on a Friday to rain-soaked Tagore town, where the merciful waters breathe life into every corner. Make it memorable as you soak up the rich art scene by visiting a slew of new-ish galleries that offer fantastic contemporary collections, try out delectably interesting food options from the cafés, cloud kitchens and even the traditional Bengali fare and round it up with a fair bit of a shopping, especially for your home.

Five reasons why

Green paradise: Open fields, lush greenery, flowers in full bloom — all of this to be taken in as you step on paths made of khowai, Birbhum’s red soil, glistening post the fresh rains. From the Visva-Bharati campus to Sonajhuri and Daronda and the Kopai riverbank, every nook and corner of Santiniketan comes alive in vibrant hues. It is cool and misty in the monsoons after a tough summer, offering a calming retreat away from the city bustle.
Zero rush: Unlike the overcrowded Poush Mela or the more recent Holi craze of Basanta Utsav, there are way fewer tourists during the rains at Santiniketan. This town is slow, and the zero rush during the rains offers you a much better opportunity to slip into its rhythm. Wandering around, whether marvelling at the architectural and design wonders on every corner of the Visva-Bharati campus, bicycling through rain-washed backlanes of Ratanpalli, or enjoying a quiet moment at any of the critically-appraised exhibitions at galleries like Arthshila or Tokaroun, you reclaim your own pace in the rains at Shantiniketan.
The art: Speaking of galleries, Santiniketan, the home of the Bengal School via Kala Bhavana, has had a long and rich legacy of art. Over the past decade, and especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, Santiniketan has been witnessing a distinctly individual movement in terms of gallery and studio spaces, often helmed by some of the stalwarts of Indian contemporary art, like artists Jogen Chowdhury, K.S. Radhakrishnan and Partha Dasgupta and critic and historian R. Siva Kumar. From the Santiniketan Society of Visual Art & Design (SSVAD), where Chowdhury acts as secretary, to more recent, fabulously cutting-edge Arthshila and Tokaroun, if you are an connoisseur, art lover, or even an accidental visitor, the bylanes of Shyambati or the settlements at Boner Pukur Danga are where you should be, soaking up everything that is dynamic or meditative in contemporary art in Bengal today. The first Bengal Biennale had its own Shantiniketan edition — and there’s a reason why.
Barsha Mangal: Usually held in mid-August, Barsha Mangal (‘monsoon celebration’) is a cultural programme dedicated to welcoming the arrival of the rains by students of Visva-Bharati University; a daylong, open-to-all festival of performances celebrating monsoon.
The food: The rains call for warm, hearty meals and that is now a slowly unravelling industry of absolute delights. Traditional homely Bengali fare has been the most popular choice, and restaurants like Banalokkhi and Barishaler Rannaghar are well-known for the same. However, if you want to taste something different, there are several cloud-kitchen options that can surprise you, serving up everything from pond snails to wild boar. Happy with just a plate of steaming khichuri with eggplant fritters, or rice and a hearty chicken curry? Just ask your homestay owner/supervisor for that slice of heaven in the rains

Galleries/studios/art spaces

Arthshila Santiniketan (Shyambati)
Tokaroun (Sonajhuri)
Santiniketan Society of Visual Art & Design (SSVAD) (Sonajhuri)
Studio Boner Pukur Danga (Boner Pukur Danga)
Mrittika Ceramic Studio (Bidyadharpur)
Nandan Art Museum & Gallery (within the Visa-Bharati campus)
·Krittika Arts Space (Guru Palli)

Suggested itineraryMorning:

Start at Nandan Art Museum (9:30am–11:30am) for a traditional, calm walkthrough as you absorb Bengal School masters

Late morning/afternoon:

Head to Arthshila (opens 11am) for vibrant exhibitions and art talks.
Head to Tokaroun, and round it up with a visit to ceramic maestro Lipi Bishwas’s Studio Boner Pukur Danga

Late afternoon:

Visit the Mrittika Studio Space
End with a visit to SSVAD to catch current student or emerging artist showcases

Where to eat

For homely, Bengali-style meals — perfect for a comfortable, no-fuss dining experience — and in case you want to step out, try out Barishaler Rannaghar and Banolokkhi, both located in Daronda. Rustic Bengali-style restaurant along a scenic rural stretch, it has been the word-of-mouth spot for great food.
The canteen at Rangabitan Tourist Complex, located only a few minutes’ walk from Amar Kutir in Ballavpur/Sriniketan within the state government guest house complex, offers delicious food, again, traditional Bengali style.
For coffee, shepherd’s pie and that famous blueberry cheesecake, simply head to Amoli. Bidisha Tagore’s cafe offers such uber-urban fare right in the heart of Ratanpalli, and often, curated meals featuring ‘Thakurbarir ranna’. The menu is handwritten, the ambience is warm and welcoming.
From Rini Bargi’s Aarhani, serving up black sesame chicken to Amrita Bhattacharya’s Handpicked by Amrita offering an indigenous ‘Rahr Banga’ menu, inspired by the cuisine of the Santhal community and featuring foraged ingredients like the googli (pond snail), cloud kitchens and pop-ups at Santiniketan are still mostly word-of-mouth and quite excellent.
Not exactly a cloud kitchen, the restaurant at Mitali homestay in Prantik, run by owner Sukanya De, has been a personal highlight as far as food in Santiniketan goes. De has a light touch and a deft hand for fusion cuisine, and her presentation is immaculate. Call to book any of these unforgettable meals.
As for snacks, there are no limits to the telebhaja, jilipi and varied chop vendors, all along the roadside, from Ratanpalli to Shyambati.
You can also try cafes like Chhaya Ghar, which hosts the most vibrant cultural scene outside of the campus. The rooftop hangout at Ratanpalli is a go-to with students, offering the usual Maggi, momos and chicken pakora, but also doubles up as a space to promote various art forms, hosting art and photography exhibitions, small concerts and poetry recitals.
On a different end of town, at the SSVAD complex near Sonajhuri, sits Cafe Midori: a quiet, cosy space within nature to sip that hot cup of Darjeeling tea
Do try the luchi-torkari for breakfast at Kasahara (inside Sangeet Bhavan) and the mutton ghugni at Tanzil (Shyambati)

How to reach

By train: There are many morning trains to Bolpur, especially on the weekend, including superfast ones like Vande Bharat that cover the Kolkata-Bolpur stretch in 2 hours. For a unique experience, try the Kulik Express (13053/13054) Vistadome coach – a special coach designed with large glass windows and a glass-domed roof, providing passengers with a panoramic view. From Howrah station, other popular trains to Bolpur include Gana Devta Express, Santiniketan Express, Visva-Bharati fast passenger and Malda Intercity-Express; from Sealdah station the option is that of the Kanchenjunga Express.

Book early for confirmed tickets, especially on the Sunday return journey

By car: Makes for a longer (4.5-5 hours), but beautiful drive on the Durgapur Expressway
By bus: Bolpur is well connected by buses as well. Kolkata-Asansol or Kolkata-Suri buses are the best options

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