If you happen to be in Kolkata in early May, you will come across innumerable cultural programmes, organised by well-known institutions to small neighbourhood clubs, most with free entry too. Because this is the time when the city gears up to celebrate the birth anniversary of one of the greatest poets of India, Rabindranath Tagore (May 7, 1861 — August 7, 1941). Called ‘ponchise baisakh’ (25 Baisakh) in accordance with the Bengali date and month when he was born, it is a day of paying homage to ‘kobiguru’ or ‘gurudev’ as he is popularly known as. And even if you happen to miss the birthday celebration, you may visit the various places associated with his memories, whenever you are in the city.

Tagore’s Birthplace

Tucked away in a corner of north Kolkata is the palatial ancestral home of the Tagore family where the great poet — the first Asian to win the Nobel Prize, in 1913, and the first non-European to win it in Literature — was born. Although much has changed over the years, the complex situated in the Jorasanko neighbourhood still retains the aura of the yesteryears.

The main building is now the Rabindra Bharati University (established in May 1961).

A part of the building complex has been converted to a museum. Apart from galleries depicting the life and times of the poet’s famous family members, there are galleries devoted to the poet himself, galleries showcasing the poet’s relationship with various countries around the globe, a gallery on the Bengal School of Art, etc.

Information: The museum is open on all days (except Mondays and government holidays) from 10.30am to 5.30pm in summer and 10am to 5pm in winter. Entry fees apply. Photography inside the museum is prohibited but you may take pictures from outside and in the garden.

There is also a light and sound show (separate entry ticket) held here during the evening but the timings vary according to the season. For more details about the museum, latest entry fees, group bookings and details of the light and sound show, you may call on 033-2269 6601 (Address: 6/4, Dwarakanath Tagore Lane, Kolkata 700007)

Cultural Hub of Kolkata

Named after the poet, Rabindra Sadan (an auditorium built between 1961 and 1967) in the heart of the city, is the hub of Kolkata’s cultural activities. Next to the Maidan, it is surrounded by art galleries, exhibition centres, and theatre and cinema halls. It is the best place to rub shoulders with the culturally minded crowd. Round the year, especially in winter, several fairs are organised in the premises.

Tagore’s Vision of Education

But your quest for Tagore cannot be complete without a visit to the famous university township, Bolpur, which has developed around the school (and later university) founded by Rabindranath Tagore. It is interesting to note that during his childhood, Tagore found it difficult to adjust to formal education. He not only refused to answer questions put to him by his teachers but also bunked school on every pretext. One of his favourite games at home was to play ‘teacher’ — a row of wooden bars of a railing along a corridor at home would be his students and he would take a cane and beat them heartily, apparently mimicking some of the school teachers. So when he decided to open a school at the site of an ‘ashram’ founded by his father and named ‘Santiniketan’, he drew inspiration from the ashram schools of the Vedic age, where education was imparted in the midst of nature and children were allowed to study at their own pace. The school that started with five students gradually developed into a global university which Tagore named Viswa Bharati. With special permission, visitors are allowed to tour the grounds. Although many buildings have come up here, you will still find open — air classes being held in the campus. The Uttarayan complex houses a museum, and the many quaint homes built with indigenous material and where Tagore lived at different times. In a corner of the main grounds is Chhatimtala, or the place where Tagore’s father, Maharshi Debendranath, founded the ashram and established his meditation centre. Apart from the university and the museum complex, you may also visit Sriniketan (founded by Tagore’s son Rathindranath for rural development and studies), the Sonajhuri Haat (a rural market organised every weekend where you may buy local souvenirs, eat home-cooked local delicacies, take a lesson from the artisan-musicians, or join the many dance groups who come to perform here), and the Ballavpur Deer Park. Bolpur town, which has developed around the university, is the main tourist hub.

Information: The town is about 162km from Kolkata by road. The Bolpur railway station is about two km away from the centre of the town.

Kalimpong and Mungpoo — Tagore in the Hills

While most people are aware of Tagore’s travels across the globe, not many are aware about his visits to the Darjeeling hills of West Bengal. Kalimpong, a hill town about 50km from Darjeeling by road, was a favourite destination. According to scholars, during his visits, Tagore would stay at the Gouripur House, owned by Brajendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury of Mymensingha (now in Bangladesh), the landlord of Gouripur estate. The poet recited his own composition over the telephone from Kalimpong and it was broadcast by All India Radio, quite a technical feat during that time. The house remained under neglect for a long time and is now under the care of the West Bengal Heritage Commission. Around the same time (1938-40), he would also visit Mungpoo, a hamlet about 35km from Kalimpong. Here he would be the guest of Manmohan Sen and his wife Maitreyi Debi. Sen was the chief chemist at the cinchona plantation for which the place is famous even today. Tagore  his prolific pen finding many expressions inspired by the beauty of the Himalayas. Interestingly, the main bungalow has been turned into a Tagore museum and visitors may see some of the furniture and other objects used by the poet.

Rabindra Sarobar and Cultural Hubs

Located in the southern part of Kolkata, Rabindra Sarobar — originally known as Dhakuria Lake — surrounded by tree-lined walkways, gardens, and a collection of cultural institutions. Renamed in honour of Rabindranath Tagore, it is a recreational area that also serves as a cultural landmark in the city. During Ponchishe Baisakh  and Baishe Srabon, several open-air performances are held around the lake, particularly on the southern banks near Nazrul Mancha and in the vicinity of cultural clubs such as the Calcutta Rowing Club and Lake Kalibari. These include renditions of Rabindra Sangeet, recitations and dance dramas adapted from Tagore’s works. The performances often draw large gatherings and are organised by cultural societies, residents’ associations, and independent theatre groups.

— The author is a Kolkata based writer who earlier worked with Outlook Traveller, contributing to its guidebooks and features on West Bengal and Odisha