This classy and utterly colonial hotel in Darjeeling had been a boarding house for bachelor tea-planters from England and Scotland initially way back in the 19th century. It was converted to the famous ‘Windamere Hotel’ in the 1930s, post which, started an era of high profile stays from around the […]
Are you planning a trip via the Bagdora airport in West Bengal? Let me help you with some basic information regarding the airport: Via the Bagdogra airport, you can go to Darjeeling, Kalimpong, the Dooars, Gangtok in India and Bhutan too. Although a small-sized airport, most airlines in India have […]
“Gram chara oei ranga matir poth”…the red path beyond my village…. Khoai’s red path had inspired the Bard to pen down these famous lines. Narrow, just off the Vishwa Bharati limits in Shantiniketan, this path has remained the same since the days of the poet – unpaved, exposing the red […]
Poush Mela in Shantiniketan showcases Bauls coming to perform at the Mela from numerous villages in West Bengal. The evenings at the Poush Mela are mostly reserved for the Baul songs. Who are the Bauls? Bauls are the famous wandering minstrels of Bengal, known for their songs on poet Lalon […]
Or, shall I say – When we wanted to lose ourselves in a village in Shantiniketan? On our way to Kankalitala, we crossed this beautiful village that had children swimming and fishing in a pond on one side and seemingly endless rice fields on the other. We asked our driver, […]
Kankalitala is just about half an hour’s drive from Mitali’s Bugalow, where we stayed in Shantiniketan. Being a staunch non-believer, Jayant wasn’t very keen to visit Kankalitala though. But I insisted since a friend in Kolkata had earnestly suggested that we go there to offer prayers. And reasoned that the […]
Shantiniketan. And all that we wanted was that the stay should be rich in experience but sparse on the ‘luxury quotient’. And that’s how we chanced upon Mitali Homestays in Shantiniketan. How is the stay at Mitali Homestays, Shantiniketan? Located about a 10-minute rickshaw drive from Vishwa Bharati, Mitali […]
When in Shantiniketan, remember, you have come to one of the most creative places on earth. Be ready to be taken aback by the creativity you see around you. Nobody will blame you when you express the desire to take all of this creativity back home. So here’s a guide […]