From kolkata you can avail train or a rented car towards bolpur. There are many trains from howrah/ sealdah railway station to bolpur. In either commute it takes around 3hrs to reach. The journey through the lush green paddy fields gives an idea of fresh rural bengal. Start your day early to have the full day there.
after reaching bolpur go straight to the hotel if you have booked prior. If not there are plenty of options to stay.
After sorting out the hotel book a local tuktuk that will take you to amar kutir. There are 2 restaurants that serve authentic bengali food with amazing decor.
After lunch visit one special attraction " khoai haat", an open air fare of local products. If occurs only in weekends.
Indians even foreigners come to visit the fare . It takes place in the middle of forest within the lap of nature. The soil their is red. local baul bands settle at places to entertain everyone with Bengal's very own folksong. Ladies dances in the tune of dhamsa madal, some musical instruments played mainly in rural Bengal.
Suddenly away from city life you will be sublimed in the natural ambience. The fare takes place in the afternoon from around 3pm till sunset. Spend some time there , you will not regret. Buy some clothes, jewellery or art items for self or loved ones. They are cheap and hand made, purely eco friendly.
End the day with a visit to amar kutir shops or shop hopping near university road. Have some evening tea and snacks, roam around and have a good night's sleep.
Have your breakfast and go for a tour inside the viswabharati university. Take a registered tour guide , he will narrate you every detail of every corner.
Visit some special attraction like chhatim tala, prayer hall, the old building made by maharshi Debendranath Tagore, open classrooms, kala bhaban, sangeet bhaban, bidya bhaban, the black house, Bangladesh museum, and the main museum of Tagore's used items. You can also see the replica of nobel prize , that was given to Tagore in 1913 for literature.
This tour will take 3 to 4 hrs to cover fully.
** Timing ~ 10am to 5pm
(On public holidays and some special days museum remains closed)
** You can enter inside prayer hall only on Wednesday morning and some special days like holi, bengali new yrs day, Tagore's birthday..
Viswabharati university is a place of interest for art and literature enthusiasts. Others may not find the works astonishing. But I could spend hours there . You can go inside the factories in kala bhaban. You can see how the sculptures are made or notice some brass work or a painting.
After collecting so much memories head back towards kolkata in the afternoon. Just play one rabindrasangeet maybe. Think of that person who was so ahead of his time that he made an ideal international university in rural bengal. He was a poet, novelist, writer, singer, music composer and what not. His wisdom was vast. Everyday I am thankful to him that he gave a lot to us, even after 150yrs after his birth we couldn't fully understand him.
