Kolkata Santiniketan: Peace and poetry

Crazy Bauls, terracotta jewellery, eucalyptus trees, and continental vegetarian food marked my trip to Santiniketan, the place where Rabindranath Thakur created magic with his words. It will take you 2½ hours by express train from Kolkata to do the same, and the Rs 75 train fare ensures that it is not only accessible but also affordable. If you are on a tighter budget, take a regular train that costs Rs 25 only.

Santiniketan, mostly famous because of its Rabindra Da connection, is popular with tourists for its serene landscape, colourful traditions and attractive handicrafts. The air of the place is heavy with romance, perhaps from Rabindranath's poetry.

As we came out of the station, small and beautifully designed with colourful tiles, about a hundred rikshawalas displayed their salesmanship by shouting in harmonised unison, as in a chorus, each with an invitation to ride in only their rickshaws. As they say, selling is an art. The rickshaw I finally decided would ferry me away, took about 20 minutes to reach the Biswa Bharati University guesthouse. On the way I witnessed another bout of salesmanship as the guy pulling the rickshaw tried to convince me that we should stay at a very nice place he knew which was way better then the guesthouse. Just for Rs 12 rupees he also passed on the information that any rikshawala would find you a place to stay as they got commissions from these places. He also informed me that a rikshaw ride from the station to any place should cost you a maximum of 30 rupees.

Biswa Bharati University was established by Rabindranath Thakur to relieve students from the imprisonment of classrooms, which he had himself so loathed. The university campus is the main tourist attraction of the place. The campus has been declared a national heritage property by central government. Thickly lined with trees it still retains the ashram element in its atmosphere. The university authorities have, however, caged the whole campus in with tall iron grills, which defeat the purpose of the place. Hence, while you are there make it a point to go to the university office and voice your disgruntlement.

The next day we set out for our mandatory tour of the place. You can hire a rickshaw for the whole day to take you around the place. Within the campus is a museum with Rabindranath's personal belongings on display. Other must-see places include Kala Bhaban – the fine arts department with interesting buildings and future artists at work in the stained glass temple, Chatimtala, Sangeet Bhaban and Bichitra.

On the second day, we borrowed bicycles from the hostel and decided to visit Amar Kutir. Acquiring cycles will not be so easy if you do not know anyone there. And if you don't, just hire a rickshaw once again; it should cost you a hundred bucks for a round trip. Amar Kutir, about 15 km from Santiniketan and surrounded by trees, is a cooperative that produces handicrafts like leather goods, Kantha stitch saris, bamboo crafts, etc. Amar Kutir is a treasure to the eye. For those who believe in shopping while travelling Amar Kutir is a must because of its sturdy products and reasonable prices.

On our way back from Amar Kutir we stopped at tea shack near the famous canal. There was a Baul there, sipping his tea. He saw us, four unaccompanied women, and started singing at the top of his voice. His voice, accompanied by his ektara (a one-stringed instrument), made the hot summer afternoon surreal. We seemed to instantly hit it off and for the next two days he magically appeared everywhere we went. Maybe it was not so magical after all, considering Santiniketan is such a small place, but the amount of tari (local beer made from date juice) we consumed made everything seem like magic. If you are into local intoxicants, your friendly rikshawala will take to one of the many small joints selling tari. Go slow on it despite its good taste, as it can be extremely potent.

Baul is a distinctive form of folk music from Bengal, special because of the lifestyle practised by Baul singers. Birbhoom district, to which Santiniketan belongs, is home to many a Baul community. These singers earn their living by singing and begging. A Baul singing at a high pitch trying to drown out the noise of a train is a common site for those who travel regularly in the region. Their music communicates their deep philosophy of life and human existence with simple words, logic and euphemisms. For the musically inclined among you, two festivals in Santiniketan give you the opportunity to hear many Bauls at their performing best. The Paush Mela is held in Santiniketan, between 22 and 25 December every year. Jaidev-Kenduli Mela is the festival where Bauls from all corners of the country gather during Makar Shankranti. Jaidev is about 42 km from Santiniketan and Makar Shankranti occurs in mid-January every year.

We spent the next two days roaming around the place on our bicycles. I spent a whole day watching jewellers skilfully produce funky jewellery form terracotta beads and iron wires. These jewellers come from the nearby villages to Santiniketan and a line of them, sitting on a shadowy roadside, presents a very colourful sight, with their beads of different colours, shapes and sizes dazzling in the sun. The best part is that they will tailor-make stuff for you. You can decide on the colour, design and size of your earrings, anklets or necklaces and they will make them for you, right there as you wait.

There are a number of places within a few kilometres of Santiniketan, such as Bakreshwar (58 km), Massanjore (78 km) and Nanoor (28 km). However, if yours is a short trip, my suggestion would be that you explore Santiniketan to the fullest. The place has something to offer at every corner. Every tree will have a different story to tell you. And while you are at it, do eat at Pashchimi, the roof-top vegetarian restaurant serving continental food that is cooked right in front of you. And if you are lucky you could be served home made wine too. We were.