Santiniketan, over 160 km from Kolkata, was originally an ashram built by Tagore’s father Debendranath Tagore, where anyone, irrespective of caste and creed, could come to meditate, according to a description of the place on the official website of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.

India had been working towards obtaining a UNESCO designation for this cultural site located in Birbhum district for a long time.

A few months ago, the international advisory body ICOMOS recommended the landmark site for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

France-based ICOMOS is an international non-governmental organisation that comprises professionals, experts, and representatives from local authorities, companies, and heritage organisations and is dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of architectural and landscape heritage around the world.

India has a total of 40 sites which enjoy the UNESCO World Heritage tag.

These include 32 cultural sites such as the Agra Fort, Taj Mahal, Harappan-era site in Dholavira, Elephanta Caves, Red Fort complex in Delhi, and Mahabodhi Temple complex in Bodh Gaya in Bihar, among others.

Reactions

“Delighted that Santiniketan, an embodiment of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s vision and India’s rich cultural heritage, has been inscribed on the @UNESCO World Heritage List. This is a proud moment for all Indians,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X.

“Glad and proud that our Santiniketan, the town of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, is now finally included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Biswa Bangla’s pride, Santiniketan was nurtured by the poet and has been supported by people of Bengal over the generations,” West Bengal Chief Minister Manata Banerjee said on X, signing off with “Jai Bangla, Pranam to Gurudev.”