Rabindranath Tagore is a captivating poet, a captivating novelist, a philosopher,
and an educator who truly merits the world\'s praise. This Bengali genius
received the Nobel Prize for Literature for the first time in his life. He possessed
a wealth of knowledge in the fields of art, literature, and architecture. He is one
of the few individuals who has exemplified greatness in every aspect.

He made significant contributions to aesthetics and architecture, in addition to
his great achievements in art and writing. Tagore\'s design concept was founded
on the principle of "more lights and more space," which he borrowed from
Japanese wabi-sabi culture. After numerous visits to Japan, he was highly
influenced by the Japanese style of modernistic life.

Wabi-sabi was a Japanese idea that depicted a rustic simplicity, freshness, or
silence melded with the tranquility or beauty that comes with age. It was about
solitude and living in the woods. As a recluse, Rabindranath Tagore was greatly
inspired by this idea. He had immediately placed his feet at Shantiniketan after
returning to India from Japan and begin exploring.

Tagore, a modernist and environment lover, advised his countrymen to adopt
the Japanese aesthetics of living rather than modernize according to European
ideas. Tagore informed a crowd of 3,000 people in a lecture in 1916 that
"modernism" is not a European garment; or in the awful constructions where
their children are taught lessons; or in the square houses with shabby walls,
punctured with windows running parallel, and where they are trapped for a
lifetime. This is not true modernism,\' but rather entirely European architecture.
True modernism is connected with mental liberation, not with enslavement. He
advocates for pan-Asianism and is cosmopolitan.

Rabindranath Tagore never wanted to disturb or interrupt nature, hence he
planned structures to blend perfectly with the natural environment. At
Shantiniketan, he used all of his designs. At Shantiniketan, there were no tall
buildings, indicating that this Nobel Laureate preferred compact structures. In
contrast to the natural surroundings, the houses had stark, matte walls with grey
undertones that gave off a comfortable vibe. Everything was constructed using
organic materials and natural resources. There were also enormous areas of
open space, which was appropriate given the tropical climate.

Today\'s Shantiniketan looks a lot like Tagore\'s futuristic concept of modern
architecture. Within the Uttarayan Complex, the buildings are separated into
three categories: institutional buildings, teacher\'s and student\'s hostels, and
Tagore\'s dwelling. Large courtyards and verandahs surround the institutional
complexes. He also created tiny clusters of integrated quarters with a \'U\'-shaped
entryway enabling interaction between the tenants and their family members for
Visva-Bharti teachers.