Daranda Farm House: Come for An Unforgettable Experience
A rustic village home stay in the lap of nature near Shantiniketan | Shantiniketan | Nomadic WeekendsDaranda Farm House:Refreshing Weekend Destination Near Shantiniketan Close to Nature
Tucked in the tranquil hamlet of Daranda, Shantiniketan, this farmhouse is a perfect place for those who seek the calm and quiet in the lap of nature. In this pristine utopia, one can just sit, relax and watch the magic of the six seasons in all their grandeur. The bungalow has two open courtyards from where you can enjoy the blue sky, the warm sunlight, and the night sky. The farmhouse provides delicious home-made and home-grown meals. The owners request you to minimize non-biodegradable waste, noisy parties, consumption of alcoholic drinks, and smoking inside the house. For those who are on a soul-searching trip, or are seeking peace and relaxation, this is the perfect place to be.
Overall with its great location, proximity to nature and hospitality that is getting raving reviews, Daranda will certainly become unforgettable once you visit the place.
Accommodation: Maximum 10 people can accommodate in the property.
Place Code: BE1781
Timings:
Check In: 12:00 PM
Check Out: 11:00 AM
Daranda Outdoor Activities:
Courtyard and local hikes: The tourists can relax in the open courtyard or take a hike by foot/in a cycle in the neighborhood to the nearby rivers, the forest, the laterite formation or the mud huts and the sprawling green fields, to get in touch with the environment and the rural folk.
Bird-watching: The surrounding Choupahari forest and the nearby Ajoy River is the perfect place for birdwatching during the early hours and before sunset. Bar-headed goose, Purple swamp hen, various kingfishers, and Robins, Grebes and Barbets can be seen around the water bodies here.
Angling: The tourists can sit in the ponds and streams inside and outside the property with a cup of tea in hand, and relax while angling and they can enjoy the spoils of their hunt as the cook would be more than happy prepare it.
Baul and folk song: The tourists who are interested in indulging themselves with the magical Baul songs, with a prior request the property can organize the famous local performers to come over and perform.
Daranda Nearby Attractions:
Tagore’s Ashrama: A well-preserved heritage site, the abode of the Kaviguru Rabindranath, this place is must visit for the tourists, where classes are still held under the open sky in AmraKunja.
Rabindra Bhavana Museum:This place contains manuscripts of Tagore’s original works and paintings. Moreover, a copy of his Nobel medallions, certificates and photographs is also kept there. A crowd-puller destination.
Amar Kutir: This place showcases locally made handicraft items, a good place for shopping.
Upasanaghar and Chatimtala: Places for mediation, deeply rooted in history and heritage of Shantiniketan and BiswaBharati University.
KhoaiMela/ShanibarerHaat: A unique market which takes place every Saturday in Khoai, where handicraft items are sold along with a chance to see live Baul performances.
Kankalitala: 10 km away from the property, one of the major Hindu temple, a Shaktipith, and beautiful gathering of Bauls near this temple takes place.
Poushmela: The biggest winter attraction and festival in Shantiniketan in late December, which brings tourists from all over the country.
Bakreswar: Famous pilgrimage dedicated to Lord Shiva, on the bank of river Bakreswar, 45 km away from Bolpur. This place has a number of hot springs where temperature goes up to200 degree Fahrenheit.
Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary: A deer park and bird sanctuary 5 km away from the property.
Tarapith: Most famous and popular temple/shakti pith in this region, 80 km away from the property.
So, overall its a ideal place for a 2 nights kind of weekend visit.
How to Reach:
Rail: The nearest rail-station is Bolpur-Shantiniketan. From there it is nearly 12 km which takes around 30 minutes to reach by car
Air: The nearest airport is Dumdum or Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport. From there the distance is 164 km and it takes 3 hours to reach by car from there.
Road: From Kolkata, the property is approximately 165 km away. It takes around 3 hours 40 minutes to reach by NH19 and NH114 respectively.
Daranda Best Time to Visit:
Each season brings their own unique flavor to the table here.
During summer, the cool evening breeze, the approaching “Kalbaishakhi” accompanied by drops of rains will soothe you. The soft scent of the Sal flowers and mangoes entices the travelers in summers.
During the monsoons, the sight of the dark clouds approaching over the green fields with the earthy musk smell is a joy to behold. Moreover, it is greener during monsoons.
The chilly winter here is characterized by mists over fields and the rivers, dewdrops over the blades of grasses, and fresh gur (Jaggery) from the palm trees.
Pocket Pinch
Cost:INR 4000 + 5% GST per day per double bedded AC room (Including Breakfast)
Cost:INR 3000 + 5% GST per day per single bedded AC room (Including Breakfast)
Extra Cot: INR 1000 per head
Driver’s Accommodation: INR 500 per head
Child Policy:
Kids from 10 years will be charged as an adult
Car Cost for Pick Up and Drop:
Bolpur to Daranda Farm House: INR 500 per car and INR 250 per E-Rickshaw
Sightseeing: INR 800 per car
We’re ready to help you with planning your weekend.Enquire Now.
Other interesting places you can visit on weekends:Shyamsundarpur River View Retreat,Tajpur Eco Resort,Chandpur Village Resort,Tajpur Village Hut
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If you are looking for complete peace, tranquility in nature and re-discover yourself, this is for you.
Me and my wife celebrated our 4th marriage anniversary here. Homely peaceful environment, excellent food, overwhelming arrangements and most important, away from all urban noise – in nature ….lots of it.
Excellent place to streach yourself for few days.
We had visited this place during the last week of December. The serenity is a relief from the hustle bustle of central bolpur.
The cook and staff were very good and co-operative. authentic Bengali food was served which was not only delicious but the cook took an extra effort to cater the personal taste of every visitor.
Beautiful and well maintained lawns greeted us with a equally splendid interior.
A special thanks to Mrs. Chatterjee for all the personal efforts she took to make our stay comfortable.
An overall wonderful experience.
A must try weekend get away for rejuvenating the mind and soul along with sumptuous food.
This is just an awesome place to stay.I had a wonderful experience out there. The hospitality and warmth of Mrs Chatterjee was awsome. The food served there was very tasty, a neat and clean place that you would love to visit again and again. The scenery around the farm house was extra ordinary, I felt the real village experience after long time
Very clean rooms and toilets also they have open garden full of different flowers, fresh vegetables and various trees; where I have spent many hours.The entire campus is eco-friendly and extremely clean and pollution free. I will definitely be there again.
If you want to flee away from the din and bustle of city life it has to be daranda farm house…excellent concept by the owner…fresh organic vegetables with the magic of the cook made me put on in 3 days time…baul song added “tarka” to everything…special mention of Mrs.Chatterjee whose hospitality you cant forget…
we have recently visited daranda farm house which is a genuine tranquil stay and it will give you a peaceful solitude where you can justify your inner soul and can give your whole hearted feelings to your companions. this is the place where you can lost yourself and can feel the essence of authenticity and tradition, then only you can get back to your real life by tasting the delicious food by Gopal da. The owner Mrs. Chatterjee(beloved didi) is the sweetest welcomer i have ever seen. our warmest gratitude to her. plz go and enjoy the beauty of solitude.
If you want to stay closer to the nature and looking for calm and quiet place… this is for you. I went there with my friends in Jan for one night. Ideally one night is not sufficient to get the feel of the place. We got warm welcome by Mrs Chatterjee and she took care of everything we need. I can’t forget the dish called Pata pora chicken. It was very healthy food and they did not use oil in the preparation. I like the concept of keeping story books in the room. Our tour was very refreshing. Go and feel the place.
Daranda farmhouse ! What a place & stay.
Amidst quaint picturesque lush green forestry, it’s a place one hankers for peaceful relaxation from the hurly burly of city life. I spent some long moments in this serene ambience reading some of my favourites. Our stay was more memorable courtesy the hospitality and care of Mrs Rumi chatterjee. And of course indulging ourselves in scrumptious delicacies.
A long yearned vacation with beautiful stay & care. Wish to revisit someday. Thank you @ Rumi chatterjee a warm friendly pure soul, my new friend in making. Regards.
Daranda Farm House
A location for a perfect retreat? This is the question which bogs the Wanderlust Bengali. Spending hours on the Internet, Lonely Planet, travelogues just to find what would be serene, yet within easy travel distance & the perfect place to spend the weekend. Daranda Farm House situated in Kabiguru’s own land, Shantiniketan, is synonymous to the word “Shanti”. One visit to the place gives you a feeling “Where was it before?”
The landscape, architecture & Interiors speak volumes of the vernacular application in the design concept. One feels this is exactly the right setting for a withdraw from the so called synthetic luxury of tourism & sets the mood in the spirit one looks for in Bengali Culture & Literature.
One feels the vibration encompassing the property while you enter the gates through the red morum pathway, beautifully complimented by green patches bordering it. It seems the artist has carefully used her brush to take care of each & every minute detail worth mentioning. The distant house in terracotta & white can only be the finishing touch to the poetry all around.
Once inside one discovers the meaning of tranquility in the real sense. The peace hits you with such compassion that you wonder is this for real! The interiors have “Bangali” written all over. One might be compelled to look up for a hand driven fan in place of the standard electric fan, such is the period ambience which gives a pleasing impact to the mind & body. The bedroom seems to be right out of Rabindranath’s Charulata. In all one is teleported in a Time Machine to find oneself in Bengal’s lost cultural heritage. The furnishings – simple yet nostalgic gives us memories of the Bengal of 70’s.
The landscape, so exquisitely done, seems right out of a Bankim Chandra right up. The water bodies lend music to your ears with its Lotus & stepped “ghat”. You imagine a flute being played at the distance with the sound of Rabindra Sangeet reverberating on the lush green fields.
A must visit to all nature lovers & those who would like to get the actual flavor of Bengal in the Mecca of Art & Culture.
This was not what we had expected. But it was a more than pleasant surprise.And I personally wish we had stayed for more than the short two nights. And yes, we will be back soon!
The sprawling property is nestled on the fringes of the much shrunken Ilambazar forest and thus creates an atmosphere of being ature. I only hope that the forest is protected well from encroachment.
Though a short distance away from the Visva-Bharati campus, the farm house exudes the serenity of an ashram. Indeed, the architecture that reminded me of cottages in Kerala as well as some of the bungalows designed by Nandalal Bose. The earthiness of the structure as well as those of the ones under construction, is soothing for the senses.
This place cannot be compared to a hotel or to most so-called “home-stays”. The ambience is tranquil. The rooms and their decor homely and personal. Plenty of space to loll around with a book or wander about the grounds and the forests to follow the antics of birds and small mammals. And bless my luck that there were no television sets that enabled the guests to mingle and compare travel notes.
The hostess and her team took warmth and hospitality to a refreshing extreme. Meals were well curated and the fare deliciously whipped up by a beaming chef. Overall the experience has whetted my appetite for a re-visit soon. I hope that the owners keep up the momentum and attract visitors of the appreciative kind.
A red soil lane leads to this tranquil accommodation set amidst the Ilambazar forest. The bungalow is interestingly and uniquely created with emphasis on keeping natural air circulation. The interiors are simple,elegant and classy.
We were extremely happy with the warmth,gesture of the people who looked after us. Lalu da,Gopal da are very helpful. Moreover the food is delicious and totally home made.The best part was definitely having no cellular network inside the accommodation. Thus a complete rejuvenation with ocassional strolls inside the huge area and reading novels. They have a good collection inside every room.
We spent a perfectly relaxed time here. The sound of the wind gliding through the forest and chirping of birds in the day,sound of crickets at night were the only companions and surely the best ones. Mrs.Chatterjee has been a great host. We will definitely visit Daranda soon again.
It is difficult to pen down the experience of visiting Daranda Farm House. There are very few places around India which can come close to this place in terms of personal touch in everything there is to offer. The food, the hospitality, the decor everything will leave you mesmerized. If you want to experience the darkness of the night, the silence of the forest and the mystic charm of Indian hospitality, look no further. Mrs Chatterjee is an amazing hostess and she has excellent support from all her staff members. So, just pack your bags and visit Daranda Farm House to recharge your batteries. You will have an unforgettable experience.
I’m still reeling from the experience we had at Daranda Farm House. It’s extremely difficult to balance nature with the basic modern facilities we’re accustomed with, and this place has done that near perfectly. If you want a serene, peaceful, and comfortable experience, look no further.
I want to describe eloquently about so many things, but really don’t know where to start. It isn’t writer’s block, I’m just overwhelmed at the detailing that has gone into this place! The living spaces, the natural surroundings, the food, local attractions, cultural exchange, and overall the tranquility of the place.
And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Mrs Chatterjee, who was a warm and wonderful host. The way she manages everything is a lesson in managing operations intensive hospitality, while maintaining the human element every step of the way. And she has an able and efficient team supporting her through it.
I may not have writer’s block, but now I do have a block in terms of considering alternative places to go to if I want to go to nature for a peaceful detoxification and recharge my overworked batteries. This is the place I’d come back to time and again.
And I think once you spend some time here, you will too.
An extra ordinarily homely place. Wonderful professional standards with great attention to personal needs…great food…friendly warm n welcoming staff…
The serenity of the place keeps calling…seems like dwelling in and with the divine … in the lap of nature…keep it up…
Daronda calling again n surely it will be at the farmhouse….see you in December
A wonderful weekend gateway into a serene environment surrounded by beautiful shal forest. Excellent hospitality and tasty Bengali cuisines. Very friendly and welcoming staffs and with special attention to your personal needs. The tranquility of the place keeps calling you back..looking forward to many more visits to the farmhouse..
It is a fantastic property. Location is best if you are looking for a a quiet cozy outing close to Kolkata. The warmth of the people owning the place is worth mentioning. The food is also yummy. In a nutshell a place worth going to
Stunning property!
Very beautiful place and excellent property! Entirely engulfed with greens, very peaceful and relaxing. The fact that there is no TV or network in the rooms makes it even better. And one can never forget the praiseworthy hospitality of Mrs. Chatterjee. The excellent bengali cuisine, the staff, everything about this place is just extraordinary. You need to visit this place asap to experience the serene beauty of nature and the people there. It was indeed an unforgettable experience!