Basanta Utsav in Visva-Bharati - time limit set for revelers to return to hostels

The Basanta Utsav in Visva-Bharati is a major festival celebrated to welcome spring and the authorities have issued a notification that students must return to their departments or hostels within an hour of the completion of the festivities.
This is issued because there have been complaints lodged by students in the past of teasing. Even after the end of the official song-and-dance programs in the ashram ground, many students continue to hold sessions in smaller groups. In view of the large number of people who come (roughly 1.5 lakh every year) proper care has to be taken. This year, the festival is on March 12.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 8 March 2017.

Apart from the Basanta Utsav program on the dais, thousands of students participate in a procession that starts from the Patha Bhavana campus and ends in front of the main dais. Even after the cultural program of songs and dances, many of the remain on the campus for hours.
In order to keep a check, additional CCTV cameras would be installed to monitor the crowd on the campus. Four temporary watch towers are also being constructed for policemen to keep an eye on the visitors. Students have also welcomed the move of the authorities.


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Annual Poush Mela in Santiniketan - traders want extension

Traders who will put up stalls at the annual Poush Mela in Santiniketan have requested that the fair be extended by a week. That way they can recover some of their investments at a time when there is a cash crunch because of demonetization.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT)has ruled that the fair cannot be extended beyond the stipulated three days. The Poush Mela starts on December 7 and should end within three days but, it usually continues unofficially till end-December.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 4 December 2016.

The fair is organist jointly by Visva-Bharati and the Santiniketan Trust. History has it that Rabindranath Tagore's father, Maharshi Debendranath Tagore, had bequeathed his properties to the Santiniketan Trust. As per documents, the Poush Mela is supposed to be held for three days.
Incidentally the fair was started in 1894 by Maharshi Debendranath Tagore with the idea of promoting local handicrafts. Tourists from all over the country and also from across the world visit Poush Mela to pick up the handicrafts created by local artisans.


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Guest houses of Visva-Bharati to be upgraded to keep abreast of the times

Visva-Bharati has six guest houses that are frequented by dignitaries from not only India but from abroad also. But - the service offered to the guests and the attitude of the staff leave a lot to be desired as revealed by feedback of guests. Hence, Visva-Bharati has decided to tie up with hospitality management institutions across the country to train its employees. The guest houses are frequented by VVIPs like the Prime Minister, the President and diplomats.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 7 May 2016.

In the recent past, it has seen important visitors like the ambassador to China, India's envoy to Japan, and an Admiral of the Bangladesh navy. They have suggested that the six guest houses on the university campus need to be upgraded to bring them at par with accommodations in other central universities.
It seems, mosquito nets still have to be used in the rooms. Then, the morning tea is often delayed and the guests have to, at times, come out of their rooms to ask for extra cups at times. Moreover, the behavior of the staff has to also improve. Hence, there are plans to train them - the training will be imparted by hospitality institutions.
The guest house staff have also to understand the finer points of serving. Like - beverages should be served from the right side of the guest and food items from the left.
New types of food items would be introduced along with international cuisines and five-course meals. Along side, the interior decoration has also to be spruced up.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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