Three-day fair (extended to six days from 2017 onwards) at Tagore's Visva-Bharati University, founded in 1894 to celebrate the establishment anniversary of Brahma Mandir temple. Features approximately 1,500 vendor stalls, live Bengali folk music (baul, kirtan, kobigan), local handicrafts, printed fabrics, and performances. Attracts ~10,000 tourists annually.
Why it mattersPoush Mela is integral to Rabindranath Tagore's vision for Shantiniketan as a centre of cultural expression. The fair celebrates Bengali folk traditions and has been held continuously since 1894 (except during 1943 Bengal Famine, 1946 Direct Action Day, and COVID-19).
Going for this? Shantiniketan in December
December Shantiniketan builds toward Poush Mela — the festival Tagore created to celebrate rural Bengal. Baul singers, handicrafts, dance, theatre. The town's reason for existence, distilled into 3 days.
See the Shantiniketan December guide →
Getting there
Nearest airport
Kolkata (160 km)
Nearest railway
Bolpur (3 km)
Where to eat
Ghore Baire Restaurant
Bhubandanga, near Bolpur main road · ₹₹
SignatureBhetki paturi and Sunday Bengali thali
Cafe Coffee Day Bolpur
Bolpur · ₹₹
Signaturecappuccino with sandwiches
Phone signal is patchier in Shantiniketan than at this CCD; it's the local fallback for video calls. Closes by 10pm; come in the late afternoon to get a power socket.
Kasahara - The Cafe
Visva-Bharati campus, near Kala Bhavana · ₹₹
SignatureFilter coffee and cinnamon toast on the open verandah
Sonajhuri Khoai Haat
Sonajhuri Forest · ₹
Signaturesanthal village stalls (Saturdays)
Operates Saturday afternoons (3-6pm) only — every other day the forest clearing is empty. Carry small notes; UPI is patchy. Combine with the Khoai Mela morning baul session for the full experience.
All eateries in Shantiniketan →
What else to see in Shantiniketan
Kala Bhavana (Art College)
Art school with murals by Nandalal Bose, Binode Behari Mukhopadhyay, and other Bengal School masters.
Uttarayan (Tagore Museum)
Five houses where Tagore lived and wrote. Personal effects, manuscripts, and paintings on display.
Visva-Bharati University
University founded by Rabindranath Tagore in 1921. Open-air classrooms under trees, Tagore's vision.
Other festivals in Shantiniketan
