Take a break from the city & explore the natural bliss around Shantiniketan – panthashala

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Take a break from the city & explore the natural bliss around Shantiniketan

Natural Bliss Around Shantiniketan_BLOG BANNER

After spending half of the year in home quarantine, all our heart seeks now is a break – a break from anxieties and worries. Just a few hours’ drive from Kolkata, Shantiniketan is the land of red soil, verdant woods and serenity that pulsates in the air. The immense contribution and influence of Rabindranath Tagore and the rest of the Tagore family have made this place a popular tourist destination in Bengal that offers an immensely rich and culturally stimulating experience for tourists. Tourists across the world visit Shantiniketan to bask in the glory and essence of Bengal’s creativity and intellectualism. Apart from being the eminent centre of art, literature, culture, and education, Shantiniketan is also known for its natural beauty.

Nature here bestows her splendour through lavish greenery, rain-fed rivulets and patchy forests. Tourists love to explore the beautiful natural surroundings of this charming hamlet of Bengal. If you are ready to inhale some fresh air away from the city and looking for a safe resort near Shantiniketan, then Panthashala will offer you a safe stay maintaining all the health hygiene and COVID protocols in place. This is a family hotel in Shantiniketan where we offer several packaged tour. Let’s see what places you must cover to get the essence of natural beauty in Shantiniketan:

1. Fossil Park:

The Amkhoi Fossil Park situated near the Illambazar Forest is dedicated to fossils. The wood fossils were first discovered while digging a pond to supply drinking water to the tribal village of Amkhoi by the Forest Department officials. Spread across 10 hectares of land, fossil tree trunks are found scattered all around. The wood fossil specimens are proof that there was a dense deciduous forest in this area that existed way back 15 to 20 million years ago. The forests originally existed in the Chota Nagpur Plateau and the Rajmahal hills. Then the floodwaters carried them into the River basin depositing sand and clay leading to the formation of the wood fossils.

2. Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary:

Tourists who love to explore wildlife must visit Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary & Deer Park spread across nearly 200 acres. It is home to various species of deer, birds, jackals, and foxes. You can get a panoramic view of the area from the watchtower, built within the sanctuary. There are artificial water bodies to attract varied wildlife and migratory birds. The sanctuary is known for the Blackbucks and Spotted Deer that can be a visual treat while exploring it.

3. Kopai River:

Kopai River is a tributary of the Mayurakhi River, which in turn joins the Hoogly, and finally merges into the Bay of Bengal. The River flows past Shantiniketan, Bolpur, Kankalitala, Kirnahar and Labhpur in Birbhum district which has been an inspiration for many of Tagore’s poems. Kopai overflows its banks during monsoon but remains a small stream during dry seasons. The way towards Kopai River is a treat itself. Spend some time sitting at the banks of the River and let the enchanting surrounding wash away your worries.

4. Chhatim Tala:

Chhatim Tala is where Rabindranath Tagore’s father Maharshi Debendranath Tagore used to meditate. He was a great philosopher and a proponent of the Brahmo Samaj who used to believe in the idea of mediation as well as introspection. Chhatim Tala is one of the most peaceful places you will ever visit in your life where people from all over the world come to immerse themselves in prayer. Students of Visva Bharati are emotionally connected to this place as every student graduating from here is gifted a branch of the Saptaparni tree (locally called Chhatim tree) from Chhatim Tala.

5. Sonajhuri Forest:

Closely situated towards the northern side of Visva Bharati Shantiniketan, Sonajhuri forest offers a perfect romantic getaway. The dense Sonajhuri forest filled with rare species of birds is like the oasis of tranquillity with a lot of greenery alongside Santhali settlements. The popular Khoai area gully made by water and wind disintegration is a perfect place to cherish the calm and serenity that you generally miss in the bustling city life. Enjoy a leisure ride through the village to Kopai River where you can get mesmerized by the rustic charm of this place. Sonajhuri Haat is another great attraction for tourists to shop local handicrafts, listen to Baul singers and enjoy the tribal dance.

Summary:

Take a break from the mundane quarantined life and set out for Shantiniketan to inhale some fresh air under the sky. Connect with nature and explore the serene natural surrounding and rustic charm of the place.