Dol Utsab at Shantiniketan

Shantiniketan has been very close to our member Ms. S. Sen’s heart to as her mother was brought up there under the preaching of Guru Rabindranath Tagore. She shares her memories of Dol utsab celebrated there.
I was brought up in Kolkata, but since my Ma had strings attached to Shantiniketan and had known Rabindranath Thakur, I too was attached to that place. There was a time when I even looked forward to studying there. But ultimately that didn’t happen, yet my attachment to the place remained throughout my life.
Long after my marriage I was keen on visiting Shantiniketan along with my husband. My husband and I reached Howrah station. Our intention was to witness the dol utsab at Shantiniketan. Just before our train reached Bolpur, a group of 𝘉𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘴 arrived and with their songs transformed the atmosphere. It immediately made me feel the serenity and the difference that Shantiniketan creates. It made me feel that I had already reached Bolpur.
I stayed at my student’s house. My student and her husband were very good hosts. By the time we reached the station, they were already there to receive us and take us to Bolpur.
At Shantiniketan people used only abir, pure abir and that too pink and red colours only. All colours there were made out of herbal products. Holi was celebrated in a way that everyone enjoyed, as colours were smeared in a very decent manner. People took permission to put a tika on the forehead. People were never worried that they would be immersed in colour and make to look weird.
I have been always apprehensive about going out in the sun. I chose to stay indoors while telling my hosts to go ahead and enjoy outdoors. Thankfully the Holi utsav was telecast on the local channel. At Shantiniketan In the evening of Dol Purnima a 𝘯𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺𝘢 natya is hosted by the students of Biswa Bharati. The performance was amazing. I had never seen such wonderful dance movements. The synchronization of each performers movements was worth watching. Each dancer was swift footed and they seemed to be floating in air as they performed. I always feel that people who receive their training in performing arts from here learn the art to perfection.