Santiniketan was originally called Bhubandanga, after the name of the village where it was located.

The town of Shantiniketan was founded by Maharshi Devendranath Tagore, the father of Rabindranath Tagore, who was a Bengali philosopher, polymath, and the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Maharshi Devendranath Tagore was a follower of the Brahmo Samaj, a Hindu reform movement that emphasized the worship of one supreme God and the importance of education and social reform.

In 1863, Maharshi Devendranath Tagore purchased a large piece of land in Bhubandanga, which he renamed Santiniketan, meaning “abode of peace.” He established an ashram, or spiritual retreat, on the land and started to teach his students about the principles of the Brahmo Samaj, as well as the importance of nature and simplicity.

Bolpur was a small place in the mid-19th century, but it grew as Shantiniketan did. A portion of Bolpur was a part of the zamindari of the Sinha family of Raipur. Bhuban Mohan Sinha had developed a village in the Bolpur area called Bhubandanga, which was opposite Shantiniketan.

Bhubandanga was known for a group of dacoits who were notorious for killing people. However, the leader of the group eventually surrendered to Debendranath and helped him develop the area. Debendranath built a 60-foot by 30-foot glass structure for Brahmo prayers, inspired by The Crystal Palace in London, under a chhatim tree where he used to meditate.

The structure was a popular attraction. Rabindranath Tagore first visited Shantiniketan in 1878 when he was 17 years old. In 1888, Debendranath dedicated the property to establish a Brahmavidyalaya through a trust deed.

In 1901, Rabindranath started a Brahmacharyaashrama, which became known as Patha Bhavana in 1925. In 1913, Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel Prize in Literature. In 1921, Rabindranath Tagore founded Visva Bharati, which was declared a central university and institute of national importance in 1951.

Rabindranath Tagore, who was born in Calcutta in 1861, was deeply influenced by his father’s teachings and spent much of his childhood at the ashram in Santiniketan. He later went on to study at the University of London and became a renowned poet, writer, and philosopher. In 1901, Rabindranath Tagore returned to Santiniketan and established Visva-Bharati University, which was initially a small school for the study of Indian culture and traditions.

Visva-Bharati University was later expanded to include a wide range of disciplines, including arts, sciences, and humanities. It became a Central University and an Institution of National Importance in 1951, and is now one of the most prestigious universities in India. Rabindranath Tagore also established several other cultural institutions in Santiniketan, including the Kala Bhavan, a school of fine arts, and the Sangit Bhavan, a music school.

Santiniketan became a hub of cultural and intellectual activity, attracting scholars and artists from around the world. It became known for its natural beauty, with its lush green forests and fields, and its peaceful, serene atmosphere. It was also a center of resistance during India’s struggle for independence, with many of its students and faculty participating in the freedom movement.

Today, Santiniketan is a popular tourist destination, with its many cultural institutions, beautiful natural surroundings, and rich history. It continues to be a center of learning and cultural exchange, and is an important part of India’s cultural and intellectual heritage.

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 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.

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 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.