118-561: Tan Yun-Shan was a Chinese scholar and founder of Santiniketan 's Cheena Bhavana , the oldest centre of Chinese studies in South Asia. He devoted his life to the cause of Sino-Indian cultural friendship. Tan Yun-Shan was born in Chaling County , Hunan province, China on 10 October 1898. He was the youngest child of a Confucian scholar and teacher. He had his early education at home. He lost both his parents early in life. He first went to
236-473: A "machine with strong brakes but no engine". He initially wanted to boycott the 1937 provincial elections , but agreed to lead the election campaign after receiving vague assurances about abstentionism from the party leaders who wished to contest. Nehru hoped to treat the election campaign as a mass outreach programme. During the campaign, Nehru was elected to another term as Congress president. The election manifesto, drafted largely by Nehru, attacked both
354-510: A "sheltered and uneventful one". He grew up in an atmosphere of privilege in wealthy homes, including a palatial estate called the Anand Bhavan . His father had him educated at home by private governesses and tutors. Influenced by the Irish theosophist Ferdinand T. Brooks' teaching, Nehru became interested in science and theosophy . A family friend, Annie Besant subsequently initiated him into
472-541: A conflict between democracy and fascism , "our sympathies must inevitably be on the side of democracy, ... I should like India to play its full part and throw all her resources into the struggle for a new order". After much deliberation, the Congress under Nehru informed the government that it would co-operate with the British but on certain conditions. First, Britain must give an assurance of full independence for India after
590-543: A difference of opinion to estrange us. We had differences from the time we became co-workers and yet I have said for some years and say so now that not Rajaji but Jawaharlal will be my successor. After spending a little more than a year in jail, Nehru was released, along with other Congress prisoners, three days before the bombing of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. When the Japanese carried their attack through Burma (now Myanmar ) to
708-589: A donation. In 1944, Tan collected more donations to add a storey to the Cheena Bhavana. Financial support from the Chinese government continued in various forms. In 1950, the Sino-Indian Cultural Society of China sent a special donation of Rs. 500,000 to Visva Bharati for the construction of a new central library. In 1942, Chiang Kai-shek and Madame Chiang, visited Cheena Bhavana. They were pleased with
826-583: A federal state along the lines suggested originally by the Government of India Act 1935. But as the drafting of the constitution progressed, and the idea of forming a republic took concrete shape, it was decided that all the princely states/covenanting states would merge with the Indian republic. In 1963, Nehru brought in legislation making it illegal to demand secession and introduced the Sixteenth Amendment to
944-580: A group of CWC members and Nehru threatened to resign and counter-resign their posts over disagreements. He became discontented with his role, especially after the death of his mother in January 1938. In February 1938, he did not stand for re-election as president, and was succeeded by Subash Chandra Bose . He left for Europe in June, stopping on the way at Alexandria , Egypt. While in Europe, Nehru became very concerned with
1062-742: A heart attack. Hailed as the "Architect of Modern India", his birthday is celebrated as Children's Day in India. Jawaharlal Nehru was born on 14 November 1889 in Allahabad in British India . His father, Motilal Nehru (1861–1931), a self-made wealthy barrister who was born into the Kashmiri Pandit community, served twice as president of the Indian National Congress , in 1919 and 1928. His mother, Swarup Rani Thussu (1868–1938), who came from
1180-552: A leading role in establishing Non-Aligned Movement , a group of nations that did not seek membership in the two main ideological blocs of the Cold War. Under Nehru's leadership, the Congress emerged as a catch-all party , dominating national and state-level politics and winning elections in 1951 , 1957 and 1962 . His premiership, spanning 16 years and 286 days—which is, to date, the longest in India—ended with his death in 1964 from
1298-448: A little distance from the seated Buddha. Nandalal planted Eucalyptus saplings in the area, knowing that one day these tall trees would be a perfect setting to Ramkinkar's Sujata. It was Nandalal Bose, who created an environment where art would be a part of life and the children of Santiniketan have grown absorbing these beautiful monuments as they have the oxygen in the air." She is our own, the darling of our hearts, Santiniketan. In
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#17330845508691416-612: A long period of time. The environment at Jorasanko Thakur Bari , one of the bases of the Tagore family in Kolkata, was filled with literature, music, painting, and theatre. Founded in 1921 by Rabindranath Tagore, Visva Bharati was declared to be a central university and an institute of national importance, in 1951. Shantiniketan is situated at 23°41′N 87°41′E / 23.68°N 87.68°E / 23.68; 87.68 . at an average elevation of 56 metres (187 feet). The area
1534-461: A major part of Rabindranath's manuscripts, correspondence, paintings and sketches, 40,000 volumes of books and 12,000 volumes of bound journals, photographs and numerous items associated with the poet's life. It is generally one of the first points of interest for anybody visiting Santiniketan. It was established by the poet's son, Rathindranath Tagore , as a memorial museum and research centre for Tagore studies. The Uttarayana Complex, which lies in
1652-612: A memorial to Tagore. In 1962, when Nehru mentioned the Sino-Indian War in his convocation address at Santiniketan, Tan wept openly. Tan continued his teaching and research work till he retired in 1971. Tan started working on his new project for the establishment of the World Buddhist Academy at Bodh Gaya . In spite of his advanced age he was once again on the road, collecting money in Hong Kong and Singapore. Funds poured in and
1770-492: A natural bird sanctuary. Amar Kutir (meaning: my cottage), once a place of refuge for independence movement activists has been turned into a cooperative society for the promotion of arts and crafts. It is located on the banks of the Kopai River , about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the central areas of Santiniketan. Every Saturday and Sunday, one can visit the haat (or market) at Sonajhuri, close to Shantiniketan. This
1888-455: A resolution that called for the British to grant Dominion status to India within two years. If the British failed to meet the deadline, the Congress would call upon all Indians to fight for complete independence. Nehru was one of the leaders who objected to the time given to the British—he pressed Gandhi to demand immediate actions from the British. Gandhi brokered a further compromise by reducing
2006-538: A spring had been suddenly released". He was arrested on 14 April 1930 while on a train from Allahabad to Raipur . Earlier, after addressing a huge meeting and leading a vast procession, he had ceremoniously manufactured some contraband salt. He was charged with breach of the salt law and sentenced to six months of imprisonment at Central Jail. He nominated Gandhi to succeed him as the Congress president during his absence in jail, but Gandhi declined, and Nehru nominated his father as his successor. With Nehru's arrest,
2124-473: A time the organisation was suppressed. Nehru, who had reluctantly heeded Gandhi's call for immediate independence, and had desired instead to support the Allied war effort during World War II , came out of a lengthy prison term to a much altered political landscape. The Muslim League, under Muhammad Ali Jinnah , had come to dominate Muslim politics in the interim. In the 1946 provincial elections , Congress won
2242-611: A visit to the Soviet Union, which sparked his interest in Marxism and socialism. Appealed by its ideas but repelled by some of its tactics, he never completely agreed with Karl Marx 's ideas. However, from that time on, the benchmark of his economic view remained Marxist, adapted, where necessary, to Indian circumstances. After returning to India in December 1927, Nehru was elected to another two-year term as Congress general secretary. Nehru
2360-566: A well-known Kashmiri Pandit family settled in Lahore , was Motilal's second wife, his first having died in childbirth . Jawaharlal was the eldest of three children. The elder of his two sisters, Vijaya Lakshmi , later became the first female president of the United Nations General Assembly . His youngest sister, Krishna Hutheesing , became a noted writer and authored several books on her brother. Nehru described his childhood as
2478-568: Is 4.9 °C, on 9 January 2013. The annual average temperature is 26.2 °C. About 1480mm of rain falls per year, with 76 days seeing the rain. The area is classified as an " Aw " (tropical savanna climate) under the Köppen Climate Classification . Bolpur Shantiniketan railway station is well connected with Sealdah Railway Station , Howrah Station , Kolkata Railway Station , Malda Town , New Jalpaiguri etc. of West Bengal & Guwahati Railway Station of Assam . There
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#17330845508692596-560: Is a neighbourhood of Bolpur town in the Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in West Bengal , India , approximately 152 km north of Kolkata . It was established by Maharshi Devendranath Tagore , and later expanded by his son, Rabindranath Tagore whose vision became what is now a university town with the creation of Visva-Bharati . It is also the birthplace of Amartya Sen , an Economist , Philosopher , & Nobel Laureate It
2714-410: Is a fair for handicrafts by the students, held on Mahalaya day. Prior to leaving for the puja vacations students celebrate Sharad Utsav . Nandan Mela marks Nandalal Bose's birth anniversary (on 1–2 December) and is a special attraction for art lovers. Briksharopan and Halkarshan emphasise man's closeness to nature and are held on 22-23 Shraavana (August). Maghotsab , celebrating the founding of
2832-634: Is a village market and one can buy local handicrafts and listen to folk music sung by tribal groups . Sonajhuri haat is a great place to see and collect wooden crafts, terracotta crafts, raw metal ornaments, dhokra art and local made clothes. It is an excellent place to experience the local culture of Shantiniketan. Jawaharlal Nehru Prime Minister of India (1947–1964) Influenced [REDACTED] Jawaharlal Nehru ( / ˈ n eɪ r u / NAY -roo or / ˈ n ɛ r u / NERR -oo , Hindi: [dʒəˌʋaːɦəɾˈlaːl ˈneːɦɾuː] ; 14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964)
2950-509: Is celebrated in its own style at Santiniketan – it is called Basanta Utsav and welcomes the arrival of spring. The programme starts from the morning with singing and dancing to Tagore's tunes by the students and ends with spreading coloured powders (called ‘ abir ’) and expression of festive wishes. After the formal Visva Bharati programme, other programmes follow. Barsha Mangal is celebrated with cultural programmes in July–August. Ananda Bazar
3068-469: Is direct AC Volvo bus service of WBTC from Kolkata to Bolpur Shantiniketan (Kolkata-Bolpur-Suri & Suri-Bolpur-Kolkata). Bus and private cars are available from Kolkata (outstation cab service of Ola Cabs , Uber from Kolkata), Durgapur City Centre Bus Stop, Katwa, Berhampore and soon from Santragachi Railway Station in Howrah . Shantiniketan is a university town with varied educational facilities. At
3186-412: Is dotted with sculptures by Ramkinkar Baij (1906–1980), larger-than-life figures of Santals who were in reality part of the landscape. A Santal family, complete with dog, a group of workers running along at the call of the mill, their clothes flying in the air, a thresher, all situated along the main road. When Ramkinkar created Sujata, an elongated figure of one of the disciples of Buddha, he placed it just
3304-495: Is flanked on two sides by the rivers, the Ajay and the Kopai . Santiniketan earlier had an extensive forest cover, but substantial soil erosion gave certain areas a barren look, the resulting phenomenon is locally known as khoai . However, as a result of the consistent efforts by botanists, plants and trees from all over India flourish in parts of the town. Although the overall environment of
3422-673: Is on a different level which gives this house its individuality. In 2013, Visva Bharati opened a museum Guha Ghar , in the Uttarayan complex, in memory of Rathindranath Tagore. The Ashram Complex is the oldest area of Santiniketan, where Debendranath built the Santiniketan Griha and the beautiful stained glass prayer hall, in the second half of the 19th century. Patha Bhavana came up after Rabindranath started residing in Santiniketan. It has beautiful frescoes by Nandalal Bose. Natun Bari
3540-522: Is played again," Nehru wrote bitterly to Gandhi, "the background is the same, the various epithets are the same and the actors are the same and the results must be the same". On 23 October 1939, the Congress condemned the Viceroy's attitude and called upon the Congress ministries in the various provinces to resign in protest. Before this crucial announcement, Nehru urged Jinnah and the Muslim League to join
3658-586: The Ahmednagar Fort until 15 June 1945. During the period when all the Congress leaders were in jail, the Muslim League under Jinnah grew in power. In April 1943, the League captured the governments of Bengal and, a month later, that of the North-West Frontier Province . In none of these provinces had the League previously had a majority—only the arrest of Congress members made it possible. With all
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3776-487: The Great Exhibition of 1851 and later relocated, Debendranath constructed a 60-foot × 30-foot hall for Brahmo prayers. The roof was tiled and the floor had white marble, but the rest of the structure was made of glass. From its earliest days, it was a great attraction for people from all around. Rabindranath Tagore first visited Shantiniketan on 27 January 1878 when he was 17 years old. In 1888, Debendranath dedicated
3894-541: The Indian National Congress , rose to become the leader of a progressive faction during the 1920s, and eventually of the Congress in its totality, receiving the support of Mahatma Gandhi who was to designate Nehru as his political heir. As Congress president in 1929, Nehru called for complete independence from the British Raj . Nehru and the Congress dominated Indian politics during the 1930s. Nehru promoted
4012-672: The Inner Temple (one of the four Inns of Court to which English barristers must belong). During this time, he continued to study Fabian Society scholars including Beatrice Webb . He was called to the Bar in 1912. After returning to India in August 1912, Nehru enrolled as an advocate of the Allahabad High Court and tried to settle down as a barrister. But, unlike his father, he had very little interest in his profession and relished neither
4130-514: The Jallianwala Bagh killings . Motilal Nehru lost his belief in constitutional reform, and joined his son in accepting Gandhi's methods and paramount leadership of the Congress. In December 1919, Nehru's father was elected president of the Indian National Congress in what is regarded as "the first Gandhi Congress". During the non-cooperation movement launched by Gandhi in 1920, Nehru played an influential role in directing political activities in
4248-565: The Theosophical Society at age thirteen. However, his interest in theosophy did not prove to be enduring, and he left the society shortly after Brooks departed as his tutor. He wrote: "For nearly three years [Brooks] was with me and in many ways, he influenced me greatly". Nehru's theosophical interests induced him to study the Buddhist and Hindu scriptures . According to B. R. Nanda , these scriptures were Nehru's "first introduction to
4366-560: The divine right of kings . In May 1947, he declared that any princely state which refused to join the Constituent Assembly would be treated as an enemy state. Vallabhbhai Patel and V. P. Menon were more conciliatory towards the princes, and as the men charged with integrating the states, were successful in the task. During the drafting of the Indian constitution, many Indian leaders (except Nehru) were in favour of allowing each princely state or covenanting state to be independent as
4484-414: The teaching staff at Santiniketan. Tan arrived at Santiniketan in 1928 and joined Visva Bharati as Professor of Chinese Studies. He started Chinese classes with just five students. He himself started learning Sanskrit . He also held discussions with the intellectual fraternity at Santiniketan. He soon realised that his work required a separate hall/ building but Visva Bharati, then a private institution,
4602-1073: The thraldom of Europe." Later, in 1905, when he had begun his institutional schooling at Harrow , a leading school in England where he was nicknamed "Joe", G. M. Trevelyan 's Garibaldi books, which he had received as prizes for academic merit, influenced him greatly. He viewed Garibaldi as a revolutionary hero. He wrote: "Visions of similar deeds in India came before, of [my] gallant fight for [Indian] freedom and in my mind, India and Italy got strangely mixed together." Nehru went to Trinity College, Cambridge , in October 1907 and graduated with an honours degree in natural science in 1910. During this period, he studied politics, economics, history and literature with interest. The writings of Bernard Shaw , H. G. Wells , John Maynard Keynes , Bertrand Russell , Lowes Dickinson and Meredith Townsend moulded much of his political and economic thinking. After completing his degree in 1910, Nehru moved to London and studied law at
4720-479: The 1935 Act. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) under Gandhi passed a compromise resolution that authorised office acceptance, but reiterated that the fundamental objective of the Congress was the destruction of the 1935 Act. Nehru was more popular than before with the public, but he found himself isolated at the CWC meetings due to the anti-socialist orientation of its membership. Gandhi had to personally intervene when
4838-610: The 1950s, influencing India's arc as a modern nation. In international affairs, he is well-known as one of the Founders of the Non-aligned Movement and, concomitantly, for steering India clear of the two blocs of the Cold War . A coveted author, the books he wrote in prison, such as Letters from a Father to His Daughter (1929), An Autobiography (1936) and The Discovery of India (1946), have been read and deliberated upon around
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4956-559: The Act and the Communal Award that went with it. He campaigned against the Muslim League , and argued that Muslims could not be regarded as a separate nation. The Congress won most general seats, and the Muslim League fared poorly with Muslim electorates. After the elections, Nehru drafted a resolution against taking office, but there were many Congress leaders who wanted to assume power under
5074-517: The Ashrama complex in 1926. She died at Santiniketan in 1969. Krishna Kripalani , husband of Nandita (Buri), daughter of Mira Devi, taught at Santiniketan for nearly 15 years, beginning 1933. Krishna Kripalani's biography of Tagore was amongst the best ever written. Dwijendranath Tagore , Rabindranath's eldest brother, spent the last twenty years of his life at Santiniketan. He lived in Dwaijaviram in
5192-458: The Ashrama complex. Dinendranath Tagore , Dwijendranath's grandson, was principal of Sangit Bhavana in its earliest years. Dinantika , built in 1939, housed the Cha chakra , where staff members of Visva Bharati met over a cup of tea for meetings and relaxation. Indira Devi Chaudhurani , daughter of Satyendranath Tagore , started living in Santiniketan in 1941 and took charge of Sangit Bhavana. She
5310-524: The Bengali calendar). This was the basis of Poush Utsav (the Festival of Poush) at Santiniketan. In Shantiniketan, seasonal changes bring their own colors and beauties with various festivals. The emphasis in organising these festivals is on traditional Indian forms and rituals. Numerous festivals range from Basanta Utsav and Barsha Mangal to Maghotsav and Rabindra Jayanti . Holi , the festival of colours,
5428-656: The Brahmo Samaj, is held on 11 Magh (towards the end of January). Various anniversaries and cultural programmes are organised throughout the year. 25 Baisakh (7-8 May) is the birthday of Rabindranath Tagore but his birth anniversary is celebrated along with and subsequent to the Bengali New Year (mid April onwards). Shantiniketan was originally a part of the ancestral zamindari of the Sinha family of Raipur , Birbhum . Satyendra Prasanna Sinha, 1st Baron Sinha donated for
5546-681: The British connection and attain Purna Swaraj or complete independence. At midnight on New Year's Eve 1929, Nehru hoisted the tricolour flag of India upon the banks of the Ravi in Lahore. A pledge of independence was read out, which included a readiness to withhold taxes. The massive gathering of the public attending the ceremony was asked if they agreed with it, and the majority of people were witnessed raising their hands in approval. 172 Indian members of central and provincial legislatures resigned in support of
5664-537: The Buddhist pilgrimage centres and after a short stay at Santiniketan, went to China. Back to China in 1931, he was successful in garnering support for his ideas. The China chapter of the Sino-Indian Cultural Society was established at Nanjing , the capital, and returned to India to establish the India chapter of the society. He went back to China and returned to Santiniketan in 1936 with adequate funds (Rs. 50,000) for his cherished China Hall and 100,000 books (collected with
5782-450: The Congress radicals, who promoted Swaraj , Swadesh , and boycott. The two factions had split in 1907. After returning to India in 1912, Nehru attended the annual session of the Congress at Patna . The Congress was then considered a party of moderates and elites dominated by Gopal Krishna Gokhale , and Nehru was disconcerted by what he saw as "very much an English-knowing upper-class affair". However, Nehru agreed to raise funds for
5900-416: The Indian independence movement. Gandhi stepped back into a more spiritual role. Although Gandhi did not explicitly designate Nehru as his political heir until 1942, as early as the mid-1930s, the country saw Nehru as the natural successor to Gandhi. In 1929, Nehru had already drafted the "Fundamental Rights and Economic Policy" resolution that set the government agenda for an independent India. The resolution
6018-412: The Lahore session in 1929, Nehru had declared that, "The Indian States cannot live apart from the rest of India and their rulers must, unless they accept their inevitable limitations, go the way of others like them." In July 1946, Nehru pointedly observed that no princely state could prevail militarily against the army of independent India. In January 1947, he said that independent India would not accept
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#17330845508696136-548: The Muslim areas after the war to see whether they wanted to separate from the rest of India. Essentially, it was an acceptance of the principle of Pakistan—but not in so many words. Jinnah demanded that the exact words be used. Gandhi refused and the talks broke down. Jinnah, however, had greatly strengthened his own position and that of the League. The most influential member of the Congress had been seen to negotiate with him on equal terms. Nehru and his colleagues were released prior to
6254-474: The Muslim-dominated provinces except Punjab under Jinnah's control, the concept of a separate Muslim State was turning into a reality. However, by 1944, Jinnah's power and prestige were waning. A general sympathy towards the jailed Congress leaders was developing among Muslims, and much of the blame for the disastrous Bengal famine of 1943 –44 during which two million died had been laid on the shoulders of
6372-576: The United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh ) as provincial Congress secretary. He was imprisoned on 6 December 1921 on charges of anti-governmental activities, marking the first of eight periods of detention between 1921-1945, lasting over nine years in all. By 1923, Nehru had emerged as a national figure of some stature. He was elected general secretary of the Congress, president of the United Provinces Congress, and mayor of Allahabad all in
6490-494: The area occupied by Santiniketan is shown as a part of Bolpur municipal area and Sriniketan is shown as a part of Surul , a census town . As per the Human Development Report for Birbhum in 2009, Santiniketan attracted 1.2 million tourists annually. Rabindra Bhavana, founded in 1942, just after the death of the poet, is the focal point of Visva Bharati. It has a museum, archives, library and other units. It houses
6608-469: The arrival of the British 1946 Cabinet Mission to India to propose plans for the transfer of power. The agreed plan in 1946 led to elections to the provincial assemblies. In turn, the members of the assemblies elected members of the Constituent Assembly. Congress won the majority of seats in the assembly and headed the interim government , with Nehru as the prime minister. The Muslim League joined
6726-497: The authority of which was denied by various elements in India's national life". In October 1940, Gandhi and Nehru, abandoning their original stand of supporting Britain, decided to launch a limited civil disobedience campaign in which leading advocates of Indian independence were selected to participate one by one. Nehru was arrested and sentenced to four years imprisonment. On 15 January 1941, Gandhi stated: Some say Jawaharlal and I were estranged. It will require much more than
6844-507: The borders of India in the spring of 1942, the British government, faced with this new military threat, decided to make some overtures to India, as Nehru had originally desired. Prime Minister Winston Churchill dispatched Sir Stafford Cripps , a member of the War Cabinet who was known to be politically close to Nehru and knew Jinnah, with proposals for a settlement of the constitutional problem. As soon as he arrived, he discovered that India
6962-603: The building. On 14 April 1937, Cheena Bhavana, the first institute of its kind in India, was formally inaugurated by Indira Gandhi . Tan was appointed its first director. However, in view of Visva Bharati's grim financial situation Tan refused to take a salary, but the Chinese government provided him an honorarium. Mahatma Gandhi, in his message to Tagore said: "May the Chinese Hall be a symbol of living contact between China and India". Jugal Kishore Birla donated Rs. 5,000 to start research activities. Fund collection continued. With
7080-461: The civil disobedience acquired a new tempo, and arrests, firing on crowds and lathi charges grew to be ordinary occurrences. The salt satyagraha ("pressure for reform through passive resistance") succeeded in attracting world attention. Indian, British, and world opinion increasingly recognised the legitimacy of the claims by the Congress party for independence. Nehru considered the salt satyagraha
7198-408: The construction of Sinha Sadan with a clock tower and bell. It was in this building that Oxford University conferred its honorary doctorate on the poet, Rabindranath Tagore . Ballabhpur Wildlife Sanctuary is located 3 km from Shantiniketan and is popular as Deer Park. Established in 1977, it was a khoai area affected by soil erosion. It is now a large wooded area with herds of deer and makes
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#17330845508697316-657: The county level school and then to the district school. He studied the Confucian classics , ancient and modern Chinese philosophy and literature, the Four Dynastic Histories and select ancient and modern books of poetry and novels. He graduated from Hunan Teachers College at Changsha and then went for post-graduate and advanced studies in both Chinese and western systems. He also had an introduction to Buddhist studies. During this period, he started writing and publishing in newspapers and magazines. He participated in some of
7434-542: The district and are thought of as an extension of the concept of markets, a place of not only trade and business but also a meeting place of people and an arena for cultural exchange. The largest and most notable fair is the Poush Mela held at Santiniketan for three days from 7 Poush . Devendranath Tagore with twenty followers accepted the Brahmo creed from Ram Chandra Vidyabagish on 21 December 1843 (7 Poush 1250 according to
7552-456: The elections but the League won most seats reserved for Muslims, which the British interpreted to be a clear mandate for Pakistan in some form. Nehru became the interim prime minister of India in September 1946, with the League joining his government with some hesitancy in October 1946. Upon India's independence on 15 August 1947, Nehru gave a critically acclaimed speech, " Tryst with Destiny "; he
7670-639: The entire property for the establishment of a Brahmavidyalaya through a trust deed. In 1901, Rabindranath started a Brahmacharyaashrama and it came to be known as Patha Bhavana from 1925. In 1913, Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel Prize in Literature . It was a new feather in the cap of the Tagore family which was the leading family contributing to the enrichment of life and society in Bengal in many fields of activity over
7788-433: The field of agriculture and rural development. Only a selective list is presented here to give an idea of the range of courses offered. The town is known for its literary and artistic heritage, with the notable figures being Rabindranath Tagore and Nandalal Bose . In addition, the Visva Bharati also serves as Shantiniketan's cultural center. In Birbhum district, the fairs ( mela in Bengali) are spread right across
7906-615: The field of education, is also engaged in setting up a school, at Ruppur near Santiniketan, embodying the ideas of Rabindranath. The climate of Shantiniketan is moderately warm, with summer temperatures at around 35-42 °C (maximum) and winter at 10-15 °C (minimum). Summer is felt for three months, March, April and May. December, January and February are the winter months. June, July, August and September see heavy rainfall, these four months are known as monsoon (rainy season). Shantiniketan saw its highest temperature rising 47.0 °C, on 10 June 1966. The lowest temperature ever recorded
8024-529: The fruits of their toil and have the necessities of life, so that they may have full opportunities for growth. We believe also that if any government deprives a people of these rights and oppresses them the people have a further right to alter it or abolish it. The British government in India has not only deprived the Indian people of their freedom but has based itself on the exploitation of the masses, and has ruined India economically, politically, culturally, and spiritually. We believe, therefore, that India must sever
8142-411: The government later with Liaquat Ali Khan as the Finance member. Nehru served as prime minister for 16 years, initially as the interim prime minister, then from 1947 as the prime minister of the Dominion of India and then from 1950 as the prime minister of the Republic of India. Jawaharlal Nehru showed his concern for the princely states of South Asia since 1920s. During his Presidential Address at
8260-432: The government soon moved to detain him again. On 22 December 1933, the Home Secretary sent a memo to all local governments in India: The Government of India regard him [Nehru] as by far the most dangerous element at large in India, and their view is that the time has come, in accordance with their general policy of taking steps at an early stage to prevent attempts to work up mass agitation, to take action against him. He
8378-410: The high-water mark of his association with Gandhi, and felt its lasting importance was in changing the attitudes of Indians: Of course these movements exercised tremendous pressure on the British Government and shook the government machinery. But the real importance, to my mind, lay in the effect they had on our own people, and especially the village masses. ... Non-cooperation dragged them out of
8496-510: The idea of the secular nation-state in the 1937 provincial elections , allowing the Congress to sweep the elections, and to form governments in several provinces. In September 1939, the Congress ministries resigned to protest Viceroy Lord Linlithgow 's decision to join the war without consulting them. After the All India Congress Committee 's Quit India Resolution of 8 August 1942, senior Congress leaders were imprisoned and for
8614-428: The latest stand taken by the Muslim League leader in Lahore". Linlithgow made Nehru an offer on 8 October 1940, which stated that Dominion status for India was the objective of the British government. However, it referred neither to a date nor a method to accomplish this. Only Jinnah received something more precise: "The British would not contemplate transferring power to a Congress-dominated national government,
8732-471: The leadership of Annie Besant and Bal Gangadhar Tilak to voice a demand for Swaraj or self-governance . Besant and Tilak formed separate Home Rule Leagues . Nehru joined both groups, but he worked primarily with Besant, with whom he had a very close relationship since childhood. He became the secretary of Besant's Home Rule League. In June 1917, the British government arrested Besant. The Congress and other organisations threatened to launch protests if she
8850-446: The mire and gave them self-respect and self-reliance. ... They acted courageously and did not submit so easily to unjust oppression; their outlook widened and they began to think a little in terms of India as a whole. ... It was a remarkable transformation and the Congress, under Gandhi's leadership, must have the credit for it. On 11 October 1930, Nehru's detention ended, but he was back in jail in less than ten days for resuming
8968-476: The northern portion of the town and is located next to Rabindra Bhavana, features a collection of five houses built by Rabindranath – Udayan , Shyamali , Konark , Udichi and Punascha . The gardens in the Uttarayan complex were planned and laid out by Rathindranath. Shyamali and Konark are mud houses. Shyamali was an experiment. The visual perspective was based on the Borobudur style. The entire outside wall
9086-535: The ongoing Indian civil rights movement led by Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa. In 1916, Nehru married Kamala Kaul , who came from a Kashmiri Pandit family settled in Delhi. Their only daughter, Indira , was born in 1917. Kamala gave birth to a son in 1924, but the baby lived for only a few days. The influence of moderates declined after Gokhale died in 1915. Several nationalist leaders banded together in 1916 under
9204-619: The onset of the Second Sino-Japanese War Tan focussed on the suffering of the Chinese people. Xu Beihong , a leading artist, came to Santiniketan and spent an year as visiting professor of Chinese fine arts. In 1939, at the initiative of Tan, the Sino-Indian Cultural Society organised Jawaharlal Nehru ’s visit to China. Tan kept on organising visits of various delegations, important personalities, scholars and students from China to visit Santiniketan, particularly Cheena Bhavana. The Chinese government also responded to Tan's request for
9322-554: The political activities of Mao Zedong . China was then in deep political turmoil, and as Tan was not a politically oriented person, he decided to leave China and go to Malaya . He taught in various institutions in Singapore , pioneered Chinese literature and wrote in local newspapers. He spent some months in Johore . In 1927, he met Rabindranath Tagore in Singapore, who invited him to join
9440-582: The possibility of another world war. At that time, he emphasised that, in the event of war, India's place was alongside the democracies, though he insisted India could only fight in support of Great Britain and France as a free country. After returning to India in December 1938, Nehru accepted Bose's offer to head the Planning Commission . In February 1939, he became president of the All India States Peoples Conference (AISPC), which
9558-531: The practice of law nor the company of lawyers: "Decidedly the atmosphere was not intellectually stimulating and a sense of the utter insipidity of life grew upon me." His involvement in nationalist politics was to gradually replace his legal practice. Nehru's father, Motilal, was an important moderate leader of the Indian National Congress. The moderates believed British rule was modernising, and sought reform and more participation in government in cooperation with British authorities. However, Nehru sympathised with
9676-409: The presidency of the banned Congress. On 26 January 1931, Nehru and other prisoners were released early by Lord Irwin , who was negotiating with Gandhi. His father died on 6 February 1931. Nehru was back in jail on 26 December 1931 after violating court orders not to leave Allahabad while leading a "no-rent" campaign to alleviate peasant distress. On 30 August 1933, Nehru was released from prison, but
9794-448: The progress of the institution that had already received financial support from China and announced a further donation of Rs. 50,000. With Visva Bharati becoming a central university in 1951, there was overall development but the ideals of Tagore were not getting due attention. Teaching of Chinese language continued but research in Buddhist texts were neglected, which disturbed Tan. The Chinese government had stopped Tan's honorarium and Tan
9912-579: The project burgeoned – it was larger than Cheena Bhavana. In 1983, Tan Yun-Shan breathed his last at the age of 85. In her condolence message, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi said, "Gurudeva and my father had affection and regards for him. He identified himself with Santiniketan and contributed immensely to a better understanding between the civilizations of India and China". Visva Bharati conferred its highest award, Desikottama, on him in 1979. The Visva Bharati website writes, "With his remarkably civilised disposition this modest, meticulous and dedicated scholar
10030-550: The protest, but Jinnah declined. In March 1940, Muhammad Ali Jinnah passed what came to be known as the Pakistan Resolution , declaring that, "Muslims are a nation according to any definition of a nation, and they must have their homelands , their territory and their State." This state was to be known as Pakistan, meaning 'Land of the Pure'. Nehru angrily declared that "all the old problems ... pale into insignificance before
10148-557: The province's Muslim League government. The numbers at Jinnah's meetings, once counted in thousands, soon numbered only a few hundred. In despair, Jinnah left the political scene for a stay in Kashmir. His prestige was restored unwittingly by Gandhi, who had been released from prison on medical grounds in May 1944 and had met Jinnah in Bombay in September. There, he offered the Muslim leader a plebiscite in
10266-612: The religious and cultural heritage of [India]....[They] provided Nehru the initial impulse for [his] long intellectual quest which culminated...in The Discovery of India ." Nehru became an ardent nationalist during his youth. The Second Boer War and the Russo-Japanese War intensified his feelings. Of the latter he wrote, "[The] Japanese victories [had] stirred up my enthusiasm. ... Nationalistic ideas filled my mind. ... I mused of Indian freedom and Asiatic freedom from
10384-407: The resolution and in accordance with Indian public sentiment. The Congress asked the people of India to observe 26 January as Independence Day. Congress volunteers, nationalists, and the public hoisted the flag of India publicly across India. Plans for mass civil disobedience were also underway. After the Lahore session of the Congress in 1929, Nehru gradually emerged as the paramount leader of
10502-473: The same year. The non-cooperation movement was halted in 1923 as a result of the Chauri Chaura incident . Nehru's two-year term as general secretary ended after 1925, and earlier that year he resigned as mayor of Allahabad due to his disillusionment with municipal politics. In 1926, Nehru left for Europe with his wife and daughter to seek treatment for his wife's tuberculosis diagnosis. While in Europe, he
10620-1450: The school level are Patha Bhavana and Siksha Satra . Apart from a number of courses in humanities, science and education, Visva-Bharati offers a range of music, dance and art courses and lays emphasis on language courses. Sangit Bhavana offers courses in Rabindra Sangit, Hindustani classical vocal, sitar, esraj, tabla, pakhawaj, Kathakali dance and Manipuri dance. Kala Bhavana offers courses in painting, mural, sculpture, graphic art, design (textiles/ ceramics) and history of art. The university offers specialised 4-year courses in Persian, Tibetan, Chinese and Japanese. Bhasa Bhavana offers undergraduate and post-graduate courses in Arabic & Persian, Bengali, Chinese, Hindi, Indo-Tibetan, Japanese, Odia, Santali and Sanskrit. Vidya Bhavana offers 1-year courses in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Marathi, Odia, Pali, Persian, Russian, Sanskrit, Santali, Tamil, Tibetan and Urdu. It also offers 2-year courses in Arabic, Assamese, Bengali, Chinese, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Marathi, Odia, Pali, Persian, Russian, Sanskrit, Santali, Tamil, Tibetan and Urdu. There are certificate courses in leather craft, book binding & hand-made packaging, batik work and hand-made paper making. Shantiniketan offers courses in
10738-442: The shadows of her trees we meet in the freedom of her open sky. Our dreams are rocked in her arms. Her face is a fresh wonder of love every time we see her, for she is our own, the darling of our hearts. Shantiniketan was founded and developed by members of the Tagore family . It was founded by Debendranath Tagore. Rabindranath Tagore wrote many of his literary classics at Santiniketan. His son, Rathindranath Tagore
10856-516: The support of the Sino-Indian Cultural Society). Tagore was thrilled and allotted land in the heart of Santiniketan for construction of Cheena Bhavana . The hall was designed in collaboration with Surendranath Kar and Tan supervised its construction. The building was completed in record time. Nandalal Bose , Benode Behari Mukherjee and others from Kala Bhavana adorned the hall with frescoes and reliefs. Tan planted trees all around
10974-444: The surrounding areas have changed with time, the core area of Santiniketan has retained its closeness with nature. Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the area. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map. In the 2011 census, Santiniketan is not identified as a separate place. In the map of Bolpur-Sriniketan CD block on page 718 of District Census Handbook Birbhum (Part A) ,
11092-522: The time given from two years to one. The British rejected demands for Dominion status in 1929. Nehru assumed the presidency of the Congress party during the Lahore session on 29 December 1929 and introduced a successful resolution calling for complete independence . Nehru drafted the Indian Declaration of Independence, which stated: We believe that it is the inalienable right of the Indian people, as of any other people, to have freedom and to enjoy
11210-591: The two later reconciled. In 1942, Gandhi called on the British to leave India; Nehru, though reluctant to embarrass the allied war effort, had no alternative but to join Gandhi. Following the Quit India resolution passed by the Congress party in Bombay on 8 August 1942, the entire Congress working committee, including Gandhi and Nehru, was arrested and imprisoned. Most of the Congress working committee including Nehru, Abdul Kalam Azad, and Sardar Patel were incarcerated at
11328-494: The war and allow the election of a constituent assembly to frame a new constitution; second, although the Indian armed forces would remain under the British Commander-in-chief , Indians must be included immediately in the central government and given a chance to share power and responsibility. When Nehru presented Lord Linlithgow with these demands, he chose to reject them. A deadlock was reached: "The same old game
11446-465: The whole area came to be known as Shantiniketan. Binoy Ghosh says that Bolpur was a small place in the middle of the 19th century. It grew as Shantiniketan grew. A certain portion of Bolpur was a part of the zamindari of the Sinha family of Raipur. Bhuban Mohan Sinha had developed a small village in the Bolpur area and named it Bhubandanga. It was just opposite Shantiniketan of those days. Bhubandanga
11564-490: The world. The son of Motilal Nehru , a prominent lawyer and Indian nationalist , Jawaharlal Nehru was educated in England—at Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge , and trained in the law at the Inner Temple . He became a barrister , returned to India, enrolled at the Allahabad High Court and soon began to take an interest in national politics, which eventually became a full-time occupation. He joined
11682-441: Was acting vice-chancellor for a short period. Supriyo Tagore, great-grandson of Satyendranath, was a student of Patha Bhavana and Visva Bharati University before going abroad to complete his education. He retired as the longest serving principal of Patha Bhavana. He now runs Sisu Tirtha, an institution for orphans mainly from the economically disadvantaged tribals, near Santiniketan. His son, Sudripta, with wide-ranging experience in
11800-540: Was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist , secular humanist , social democrat , author and statesman who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20th century. Nehru was second only to Mahatma Gandhi in leading the Indian nationalist movement in the 1930s and 1940s. Upon India's independence from Britain in 1947, he served as the country's first prime minister for 16 years. Nehru championed parliamentary democracy , secularism , science and technology during
11918-536: Was arrested in Allahabad on 12 January 1934. In August 1934, he was briefly released for eleven days to attend to his wife's ailing health. In October, he was allowed to see her again, but he turned down an early release conditional on withdrawing from politics for the duration of his sentence. In September 1935, Nehru's wife, Kamala, became terminally ill while receiving medical treatment in Badenweiler , Germany. Nehru
12036-399: Was built in 1902 for residential purposes. Kalo Bari is a unique structure of mud and coal tar and profusely decorated. There are numerous other houses: Dehali , Santoshalaya , Singha Sadan , Dwijaviram , Dinantika , Taladwaj , Chaitya , Ghantatala , Panthasala , Ratan Kuthi , Malancha and others – each with an interesting story that makes it historically relevant. Visva Bharati
12154-462: Was decorated with beautiful relief work by Kala Bhavana students under the guidance of Nandalal Bose . The Santals on either side of the main door and on the eastern corner were by Ramkinkar Baij . Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi stayed in the house as guests. Udayan is the most imposing house in the Uttarayan complex. It is meant for important guests visiting Santiniketan. Each suite in Udayan
12272-422: Was established as a centre for culture with the objective of exploring the arts, language, humanities, music etc. Specialised institutes came up in different fields: Cheena Bhavana , Hindi Bhavana, Kala Bhavana , Sangit Bhavana , Bhasa Bhavana, Nippon Bhavana, Bangladesh Bhavana and others. Many of these institutes with myriad structures have been decorated by illustrious artists. "The landscape of Shantiniketan
12390-604: Was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List by the World Heritage Committee in 2023. In 1863, Debendranath Tagore took on permanent lease 20 acres (81,000 m ) of land, with two chhatim ( Alstonia scholaris ) trees, at an annual payment of Rs. 5, from Bhuban Mohan Sinha, the talukdar in Raipur, Birbhum. He built a guest house there and named it Shantiniketan (the abode of peace). Gradually,
12508-563: Was invited to attend the Congress of oppressed nationalities in Brussels, Belgium. The meeting was called to coordinate and plan a common struggle against imperialism . Nehru represented India and was elected to the Executive Council of the League against Imperialism which was born at this meeting. He made a statement in favour of complete independence for India. Nehru's stay in Europe included
12626-479: Was leading popular agitations in princely states. Nehru was not directly involved in the events that split the Congress during the Bose presidency, and unsuccessfully attempted to mediate. When World War II began, Viceroy Linlithgow unilaterally declared India a belligerent on the side of Britain, without consulting the elected Indian representatives. Nehru hurried back from a visit to China, announcing that, in
12744-493: Was more deeply divided than he had imagined. Nehru, eager for a compromise, was hopeful; Gandhi was not. Jinnah had continued opposing the Congress: "Pakistan is our only demand, and by God, we will have it," he declared in the Muslim League newspaper Dawn . Cripps' mission failed as Gandhi would accept nothing less than independence. Relations between Nehru and Gandhi cooled over the latter's refusal to co-operate with Cripps, but
12862-492: Was not freed. The government was forced to release Besant in September, but the protestors successfully negotiated further concessions . Nehru met Gandhi for the first time in 1916 at the Lucknow session of the Congress, but he had been then dissuaded by his father from being drawn into Gandhi's satyagraha politics. 1919 marked the beginning of a strong wave of nationalist activity and subsequent government repression that included
12980-729: Was one of the first five students at the Brahmacharya asrama at Santiniketan. After the death of his father in 1941, Rathindranath took over the burden of all responsibilities at Santiniketan. When Visva Bharati was made a central university in 1951, Rathindranath was appointed its first vice-chancellor. Pratima Devi , Rathindranath's wife, had active links with Visva Bharati from a very young age. She lived in Santinketan till her death in 1969. Mira Devi, Rabindranath's youngest daughter, after her failed marriage, lived in Malancha built for her in
13098-586: Was one of the first leaders to demand that the Congress Party should resolve to make a complete and explicit break from all ties with the British Empire. The Madras session of Congress in 1927, approved his resolution for independence despite Gandhi's criticism. At that time, he formed the Independence for India League, a pressure group within the Congress. In 1928, Gandhi agreed to Nehru's demands and proposed
13216-482: Was persuaded to accept a salary. On the brighter side Cheena Bhavana continued to attract many new scholars. Dr. Luther Carrington Goodrich from Columbia University came as visiting professor of Sinology in 1953–54. In 1956, Zhou Enlai , the Chinese premier, invited Tan to visit China. Mao Zedong received his friend in the presence of other Chinese leaders. In 1957, during a trip to India, Zhou visited Santiniketan. He came to Cheena Bhavana and donated Rs. 60,000 for
13334-459: Was ratified in 1931 at the Karachi session chaired by Vallabhbhai Patel . Nehru and most of the Congress leaders were ambivalent initially about Gandhi's plan to begin civil disobedience with a satyagraha aimed at the British salt tax . After the protest had gathered steam, they realised the power of salt as a symbol. Nehru remarked about the unprecedented popular response, "It seemed as though
13452-559: Was released from prison early on compassionate grounds, and moved his wife to a sanatorium in Lausanne , Switzerland, where she died on 28 February 1936. While in Europe, Nehru learned that he was elected as Congress president for the coming year. He returned to India in March 1936 and led the Congress response to the Government of India Act 1935 . He condemned the Act as a "new charter of bondage" and
13570-498: Was short of funds. Tan decided to move around to collect money for the purpose and he took on odd jobs to support himself. He went to Singapore and Rangoon . He accompanied the special envoy of China in his mission to Tibet. The envoy died on the way and so Tan carried his papers and handed them over to the 13th Dalai Lama in Lhasa . He was given a message for Mahatma Gandhi , which he delivered at Sabarmati Ashram , Ahmedabad . He visited
13688-627: Was sworn in as the Dominion of India 's prime minister and raised the Indian flag at the Red Fort in Delhi. On 26 January 1950, when India became a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations , Nehru became the Republic of India 's first prime minister. He embarked on an ambitious program of economic, social, and political reforms. Nehru promoted a pluralistic multi-party democracy. In foreign affairs, he played
13806-467: Was the den of a gang of notorious dacoits, who had no compunction in killing people. It led to a situation of conflict and confrontation, but the leader of the gang, ultimately, surrendered to Debendranath, and they started helping him in developing the area. There was a chhatim tree under which Debendranath used to meditate. Inspired by The Crystal Palace built originally in Hyde Park, London , to house
13924-506: Was universally respected for the tireless and silent contribution in giving shape to Rabindranath's ideal of Visva-Bharati. Tan Yun-Shan will be remembered by the world for his pioneering efforts in re-building the ancient cultural relationship between the civilisations of China and India in modem times." Tan met Chen’ Nai-Wei at Johore, where she was principal of a school and they were married in 1926. She died in 1980. Santiniketan Shantiniketan (শান্তিনিকেতন, IPA: [ʃantiniketɔn] )
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