Visva-Bharati Installs UNESCO-Approved Heritage Recognition Board for Santiniketan

December 8, 2023

In a recent development, Visva-Bharati has installed a Centre-approved board officially recognizing Santiniketan as a UNESCO-approved world heritage site. This new installation differs from a previous one by the former Vice-Chancellor, as it prominently mentions the visionary Rabindranath Tagore.

Earlier Controversy Surrounding Plaques

The UNESCO world heritage status was conferred upon Santiniketan in mid-September this year. However, the initial installation of plaques stirred controversy when they only featured the names of Chancellor Narendra Modi and the then Vice-Chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty. Critics saw this as an attempt to marginalize Rabindranath Tagore, the founder’s legacy. Political parties engaged in the confrontation, leading the administration to clarify that the plaques were temporary, primarily for demarcation purposes.

Rectifications and Trilingual Board

In late November, texts in Hindi and English, prepared by the Archaeological Survey of India and approved by the Ministry of Education, were sent to Visva-Bharati for correction and Bengali translation. A committee was formed by the university for this purpose. The resulting trilingual board not only includes Rabindranath Tagore’s name but also tonally adjusts the excessive superlatives used by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Insight into Corrections

The Visva-Bharati committee made factual corrections, such as clarifying that in 1901, it was the educational institution that was established, later becoming Visva-Bharati. Minor edits were performed, and the excessive superlatives were toned down, aligning with Tagorean traditions.

Introduction on the New Plaque

The new plaque introduces Santiniketan as a beacon of intercultural dialogue and artistic expression, echoing Rabindranath Tagore’s vision. It highlights Santiniketan as a testament to unity in diversity and the pursuit of knowledge. To preempt controversy, a footnote mentions that the text is the officially approved statement by UNESCO and the Ministry of Education, emphasizing its temporary nature until a permanent plaque is ready.

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