Daronda-Illambazar-Santiniketan
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Offbeat weekend in Daronda
Daronda weekend tour
For tourists interested in a traditional weekend tour, we have our Santiniketan package tour for you. We arrange our guests to stay in an organic farm within the typical Bengal landscape at Daronda, take you to the much familiar places of Bolpur from Visva Bharati campus to Khowai followed by Amar kutir and last but not the least – a trip to Surul Rajbari and to the not so familiar terracotta temples of Ilambazar. After the Daronda-Illambazar-Santiniketan trip, we guarantee the visitors will leave for home refreshed and rejuvenated.
When the visitor checks out into a farmhouse at Daronda at the beginning of the tour, on first sight it becomes absolutely clear that to spent some time away from the hustle bustle of the city, a trip to Daronda is the perfect solution. There is a beautiful large lake at Daronda named Lakshisayar. Located 14 km West of Bolpur, Daronda is a quiet serene place, where village-based ecotourism has been developing since long.
2 nights 3 days
- AC Room
- Breakfast, Lunch, Evening Snacks, Dinner
*Excluding Guide and Porter charge
3 nights 4 days
- AC Room
- Breakfast, Lunch, Evening Snacks, Dinner
*Excluding Guide and Porter Charge
Sight seeing in Daronda
Bolpur
Bolpur is Rabindranth and Rabindranath is Bolpur. If a visitor does not visit Viswabarati Complex, the visit to Bolpur is incomplete. These are the must visit places inside the complex during an outing to Santiniketan. Photography is not allowed inside the premises of any house inside Viswabharati complex.
This is the main part of the Viswabharati complex where the poet stayed in various houses during his stay at Santiniketan. The main five houses are Udichi, Udayana, Konarka, Shyamali and Punascha. Konark was the first home to be built. It was used as a venue for poetry recitations and play rehearsals. Shyamali is an eco friendly mud house. A glass house displays the car used by Rabindranath Tagore. In the interiors, there are furniture where Tagore discussed various topics with students.
It is also a museum built by Rathindranath Tagore and inaugurated by 1961. which displays hand written letters by Tagore himself, photographs with his family members, students, gifts from several people and letters of congratulations on receiving the Nobel Prize. The original Nobel Prize was stolen some years back and a replica is now on display.
This two storied building with a colonial style architecture was the first to be built in Santiniketan. The house was constructed during the 1860s shortly after Maharshi Debendranath had purchased a large tract of barren land. This house also has some furniture used by the poet and family as well as some photographs.
This is a single storey structure with beautiful Belgian stained glass windows and doors supported by slim iron pillars. No brick wall is visible. A favorite for peace loving tourists visiting Santiniketan
Aamar Kutir was established in 1923 by freedom fighter Susen Mukherjee with the inspiration of Rabindranath Tagore. Presently the society is engaged in skill building of the artisans of Batik print and leather work with new technology. It is a shopping centre from where one can buy many products which are all made by the local people. Also one can observe people preparing local artifacts in the workshop. These include Dokra sculpture, Leather bag, wooden product, Saree, Punjabi, Kurti and a large amount of Kantha Stitch product. The prices are fixed but the quality of the product is international level. This is an all-time favorite shopping hub for travelers embarking on a trip to Santiniketan
The Kopai river, a tributary of the Mayurakshi rivers flows past Santiniketan and offers a major tourist attraction. In winter, mustard fields in its banks provide more scenic beauty.
Sonajhuri is a man-made forest in the Khowai region in Santiniketan. The Khowai is a landscape of small ravines formed by the continuous erosion of the Red Soil caused by Mother Nature. Since no vehicles are allowed here it is a pollution free zone, ideal for morning and evening stroll. This is a hot favorite for those tourists visiting Santiniketan who love going on morning walks.
The local fair or haat is held on every Saturday afternoons on the edge of the Shonajhuri forest. Various kind of clothes and sarees, accessories; handicraft items and many more items are sold there and even ordered at a price which is probably half or even less from the cities. Several artisans visit the Haat with their artifacts. Popular buying item include locally made musical instruments, batik printed garments and kantha stitch garments. This is the most visited shopping hub for local handicrafts for tourists coming to Santiniketan for a weekend tour.
This is a cultural hub which has several small mud and bamboo built huts which are actually museums dedicated to several states. The huts are painted influenced by traditional paintings of the respective states. The states showcased here are Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Sikkim and also of Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar and Andaman and the Nicobar Islands. There is an art gallery here too which features folk paintings. Entry ticket is only Rs 10. One can visit the visit the Buddha Stupa on the way to Shilpagram which is maintained by Santiniketan Ambedkar Buddhist Welfare Mission
With an area of 200 hectares Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary is home to Cheethals, Blackbucks and other animals like jackals and foxes. It is a protected area with jungle paths and watchtowers. This is a must visit place for all wildlife lovers taking an weekend tour at Santiniketan
Surul & Supur
Also known as Surul Boro bari, the colossal mansion with its Natmandir and Thakur Dalan was built by Srinivas Sarkar in the 18th century who amassed a fortune by selling sails for Ships. Durga Puja is still celebrated here with pomp and show.
The 19th century built five pinnacled (pancha ratna) Lakshmi Janardan Temple and two Rekha-Deul types Shiva temple of Sarkar Badi.with their terracotta panels are worth a visit.
Also built by Srinivas Sarkar, there are two temples here. One is a 19th century Aatchala temple and a Rekha Deul Temple with several terracotta panels.
Supur had several temples in its vicinity, but only few remains at present. Out of them the 18th century Jora Shiva Temples alias Jora Mandir of Lalbazar area is the best example of Terracotta Art at Supur
Illambazar
Ilambazar was a prominent trading hub during the 19th century. A Saheb Ghat existed at Birbhum’s Ilambazar, with numerous British and French ships in its vicinity. A scenic drive of 18 km through the Chaupahari Jungle towards South of Bolpur takes you to Illambazar after crossing Daronda. Those interested in heritage of temple art of West Bengal should take a tour to Illambazar
An Octagonal temple whose original roof has been substituted with an asbestos shade showcases some fine terracotta art on all the walls of this temple. Located inside a market, it has an attached Natmandir. Inside the temple, the deities worshipped are Goura and Nitai
Founded in 1846, this south facing temple stands on a platform with an open verandah in front. It has a triple arched entrance with a corridor inside. The deity is a Narayan Salgram Shila. The front façade displays exquisite terracotta panels.
Build during the first half of 19th century, the Rekha Deul pattern temple has some rare terracotta panels on its walls
- how to reach from kolkata
- Accomodation
- Fooding
Bolpur is just about 160 km North from Kolkata. One can arrive here by train or drive here. Daronda and Illambazar are located west of Bolpur.
Best place to stay is at any eco resort at Daronda. There are options to stay at Sona jhuri area and in the town of Santiniketan too.
You would love the restaurant if you are a Bengali as the in-house restaurant serves with all kinds of sumptuous Bengali food. Apart from that you can also try out Chinese and Moghlai food.
Daronda Tour Plan Itinerary
Offbeat weekend Exclusive Package
2 Night 3 Days
DAY 1:
Check-in Hotel / Home Stay get refreshed & have lunch.
After lunch visit SUPUR for TERRACOTTA TEMPLE
and SURUL
Visit :
SURUL JAMIDAR BARI
DURGA DALAN
Centuries old TWIN TERRACOTTA TEMPLE
DAY 2 :
Early breakfast. Places to visit :
KANKALI TALA
KOPAI RIVER
BAUL AKHRA
SHANTINIKETAN
BACK to HOTEL / HOME STAY.
After lunch
visit :
KHOYAI HAAT
DEER PARK
AMAR KUTIR
DAY 3:
After breakfast walk around DARONDA village.
Check-out at 10am.
Proceed to
KAMAR PARA
BANALAKKHI KRISHI ASHRAM
CHOUPAHARI FOSSIL PARK
Offbeat weekend Exclusive Package
3 Night 4 Days
DAY 1: After check-in Hotel / HomeStay get refreshed & take lunch.
Then proceed to SUPUR for TERRACOTTA TEMPLE visit
Our next destination is SURUL.
Visit :
SURUL JAMIDAR BARI
DURGA DALAN
Centuries old TWIN TERRACOTTA TEMPLE
DAY 2 : Early breakfast.
visit :
KANKALI TALA
KOPAI RIVER
BAUL AKHRA
SHANTINIKETAN
BACK to HOTEL / HOME STAY.
Post lunch visit :
KHOYAI HAAT
DEER PARK
AMAR KUTIR
DAY 3: After Breakfast proceed to ILLAMBAZAR.
Visit :
ILLAMBAZAR FOREST
MAHAPRABHU TEMPLE
PANCHARATNA LAKSHMI JANARDAN TEMPLE
RAMESHWAR SHIVA TEMPLE
(En-Route Lunch)
OR
After breakfast you can visit DUBRAJPUR & enjoy the beauty of MAMA BHAGNE PAHAR.
(En-Route Lunch)
DAY 4 : After breakfast walk around DARONDA village. Check-out at 10am. Then proceed to
KAMAR PARA
BANALAKKHI KRISHI ASHRAM
CHOUPAHARI FOSSIL PARK
Best time to visit
What to shop at Bishnupur
As for Bolpur, it never seems repetitive. Visiting Santiniketan is like visiting an old friend. The village fair at Khowai, the mustard field near Kopai river during winter and a stroll in Sonajhuri forest all gives the feeling of a second home coming. A tour of Viswabharati campus along with Uttarayan complex and Rabinda Bhawan is the highlight of a tour to Santiniketan.
The brick built Mediaeval Temples with their terracotta panels on their wall depicting scenes from Krishna Lila, Ramayana and social scenarios at Surul, Supur and Ilamabazar are a treat for the heritage and history lovers.
Package starting from
INR 5500.00
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