Poush Mela

When: Begins on 7 Poush (Bengali calendar) each year; the Gregorian dates shift annually. In some years it runs for multiple days depending on official permissions and programming.
Santiniketan's most iconic festival, commemorating the Poush observance and the establishment anniversary of the Brahma Mandir at Santiniketan (21 December, 1891), a key date in the ashram calendar. The fairgrounds transform into a cultural extravaganza with approximately 1,500 stalls selling handicrafts, textiles, terracotta, Madhubani paintings, Patachitra scrolls, batik fabrics, and kantha embroidery.

Highlights:

1. Live Baul music performances throughout the day
2. Bengali folk dances and tribal sports
3. Traditional Bengali cuisine at countless food stalls
4. Student cultural programs from Visva-Bharati
5. Opening ceremony featuring shehnai music at sunrise, followed by Vaitalik group processions and prayers at Chhatimtala