The author of the Indian national anthem, Rabindranath Tagore had revolutionised the literary culture of Bengal in multifold ways. He had infused modernism into art and literature in the late 19th and 20th centuries. His songs, novels, and poems are treasured by millions of people around the world and will continue to touch the hearts of many generations to come. He was the first Indian Nobel laureate and had bagged a Noble Prize in Literature in 1913. Tagore was one of the finest romantic Bengali poets and his writings had been exemplary in the freedom movement of India as well.
Apart from being a writer, Tagore was an ardent traveller too and had travelled to over 35 nations and 5 continents. The Jorasanko Thakur Bari in Kolkata was the ancestral home of the erstwhile poet. He had also established the Visva-Bharati University in Shantiniketan to teach students in the brahmacharya system. There are five houses in Shantiniketan where Tagore had dwelled in the 20th century. The houses have been converted to heritage homes now and are visited by tourists. The poet had stayed in a bungalow in the hills of Darjeeling as well in 1938 and 1939.
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Tagore’s Himalayan Home In Mungpoo, Darjeeling
The postcard-perfect Himalayan town of Mungpoo was the summer retreat of Tagore in his older days. Tagore had come to stay in Mungpoo after receiving an invite from the novelist Maitreyi Devi. The bungalow has been converted into a museum now and it has photos and paintings of Tagore. It is one of the prominent attractions in Mungpoo. Mungpoo is also home to lush tea estates and cascading streams. But an awe-inspiring attraction lies just an hour away from Mungpoo.
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Rabindra Peak At Ahal Dara Viewpoint
Roughly at a distance of 1 hour and 8 minutes from Mungpoo, lies the Ahal Dara viewpoint. At this viewpoint, lies a hill that looks exactly like the face of Rabindranath Tagore. Call it a coincidence or miracle, the sight of this unique rock formation can simply blow your mind. The Ahal Dara viewpoint is located in Sittong and offers breathtaking views of the gorgeous mountain valley.
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Mungpoo is just around an hour’s drive from Siliguri. It is one of the hidden mountain destinations with only a handful of tourists but intense natural splendour!