Rabindra Kuthibari- Kushtia
“The palm tree stands on one leg
Beyond all the trees
Peek at the sky”
The tall palm trees on both sides of the house’s main gate evoke this poem by Rabindranath Tagore. It was built on 11 acres of land, the house has a museum, a library, 2 buildings for officials, an open-air stage, a huge canteen under construction, and a pond. The house has a total of 15 rooms. The Kuthibari is surrounded by corrugated walls. Rabindranath Tagore first came to Shilaidha in November 1889 to care for the zamindari. Later, he had stayed in this house irregularly at various times.
When is Rabindra Kuthibari open and closed-
This cottage is open for visitors throughout the year
Tuesday to Saturday – 10 am to 5 pm. Break from 1:00 to 1:30. Friday from 1 pm to 2 pm.
Monday- (Half Day) 2 PM to 5 PM.
Sunday – Weekend holiday
Rabindra Kuthibari Ticket Price-
For native tourists – 30 Tk
For secondary and higher secondary level students – 10 Tk
There is no fee for elementary-level students(.0-5 class)
For SAARC foreign tourists – 200 Tk
Foreign tourists- 400 Tk
How to go to Rabindra Kuthibari-
– This Rabindra Kuthibari is located in Shilaidaha of Kumarkhali Upazila of Kushtia District. You can come here by bus and train.
Bus Method 1– If you want to come directly by bus, you can come by SB Super Deluxe, Shyamoli Paribahan from Dhaka’s Gabtali. Fare Tk 650-700 per person (non AC). These buses will drop you at the Majampur bus stand in Kushtia. You have to go to Alauddin Mor from Majampur. So many auto travel Rabindra Kuthibari from Alauddin Mor, fare- Tk 25 per person.
Bus Method 2– Go to Kumarkhali via Dailatdia from Gabtali Bus Terminal. Diganta Paribahan, Lalon Paribahan, Zaman Paribahan, and Rabeya Paribahan will reach Kumarkhali in 4-4.5 hours. The fare is 400-450 taka per person. From Kumarkhalil go to Kushtia Alauddin Mor by CNG/Auto. From Alauddin Mor to Majampur then from Majampur by van/auto go to Kuthibari.
Bus method 3– Local bus goes from Gabtali to Paturia, fare 80-100 taka. The ferry/Launch from Paturia crosses Daulatdia Ghat. Ferry fare- 25 taka. Then you can go to Kushtia either by train or bus from Daulatdia. Trains at 1 pm and 3 pm. Local train fare is Tk 30, Intercity train fare is Tk 85. And apart from the train from Daulatdia, you will get the Padma or Garai bus, which fare is 150-180 taka. Those who have less budget can go this way.
By Train– There are 3 trains from Dhaka to Kushtia.
1) Benapole Express– Departs Dhaka at 11.15 PM and reaches Poradaha at 5 AM. Leaves Poradaha at 3.50 PM and reaches Dhaka at 9 PM. Off day – Wednesday.
2) Sundarban Express– If you want to go by morning train, you can take Sundarban Express. Depart from Dhaka at 8:15 AM and reach Poradaha Station at 2:00 PM. The train stops at Poradaha Station at 1:35 PM and reaches Dhaka at 9:00 AM.
Dhaka-Khulna- The off day is Wednesday
Khulna – Dhaka – Off day is Tuesday.
3) Chitra Express – Holiday is Monday. Depart from Dhaka at 7:00 PM and reach Poradaha Station at 12:15 PM. The train departs Poradaha at 12:24 PM and reaches Dhaka at 5:30 PM.
The train ticket price is a minimum of Tk 360 per person (S chair). Book Train Ticket Online
Kushtia Food Hotels-
Kushtia is also famous for tourism and its food. Kushtia sweet, banana cup curd, black beef roast, kulfi malai, and sesame Khjaja (Tiler khaja in Bengali) are very famous and delicious dishes. Famous and good quality hotels include Hotel Bismillah, Hotel Biswas, Hotel Maubon (famous for sweets), and Liaquat Ali’s Dairy Hotel (famous for dairy products). There are also numerous hotels and street food. Hotel Biswas and Bismillah are located side by side at Majampur Bus Stand. Hotel Moubon, Liaquat Dairy is located near Kushtia Municipality. These hotels open for tourists early in the morning.
Where to stay in Kushtia?
Kushtia is a very safe and hospitable place. Although there are a lot of tourists throughout the year, the crowd increases during Lalon Fair. Hotel fares may increase slightly during the Lalon Fair, but there is no need to book in advance. From single rooms to small rooms, you will find all types of rooms. The rent varies depending on the size and condition of the room. You can stay in a single room alone within 500 Tk. Don’t forget to observe the hotel’s environment before boarding. I am giving the names and phone numbers of some hotels-
1) Hotel Al Hayat, Majampur Bus Stand, Kushtia
Contact – 01731-687553, 01312-665556
2) Hotel Sunmoon, Majampur Gate, Kushtia
Contact-01316-035091, 01837-760722
3) Hotel Taiyiba International, Majampur Bus Stand, Kushtia
Contact- 01763645145
4) Desha TARC, Kushtia
Contact – 01720-510330
The road from Alauddin Mor to Kuthibari is really beautiful. I couldn’t see any dirt in the streets of Kushtia. “Rabindra Kuthibari” is written in golden letters on the red brick at the main gate. There are many shops around. Wooden and pottery, children’s toys, and home decoration items are all available here. Apart from Kushtia’s famous kulfi malai, sesame khaja, you will also get sandesh, sweets, handmade patties, etc. The ticket counter is on the right side of the main gate. I paid 30 Tk for a ticket and entered. It is a short walk through the straight road to reach the main building. I looked around. The entrance gate to Kuthibari is made of iron, as I saw at Tagore Lodge. Trees are planted around the house. Until 2015, the house’s color was white, but now its color is quite Maroon.
The ticket must be shown before entering the main house. I showed the ticket and entered. The green doors and six-foot windows have been repaired, but the design of that period has not been altered. Throughout the museum, there are lots of precious moments from Rabindranath Tagore’s childhood to his death captured by cameras. On the ground floor, the royal palanquin is preserved which was used in the Zamindar house. It was very nice to see some things like the copy of the original manuscript of the poetry book “Gitanjali”, a photo of the Nobel prize certificate and medal, etc. I took the stairs and went to the second floor. Cots, sofas, tables, chairs, etc. used by the poet are reserved there. On the next floor, a part of the almost extinct boat “Bajra” used by the poet is displayed. From the garret, the view of the Kuthibari looks stunning.
After visiting the museum, I went to explore its surroundings. The place is quite big. A perfect place to visit with family. There was a well I had seen that was shut for safety. At the back of the house, one could also go to the attic through an iron twisted staircase. The stair is also closed due to breakage. Next to it is a locked single-story building like a schoolhouse. If you walk a little distance, you will see the pond of the house. You will feel great to spend some time sitting by the pond in the afternoon. The quadrangular pond is surrounded by vegetation and seating arrangements. Some foreign tourists were spotted. Many foreign tourists gather in Kushtia during Lalon Mela. On one side of the pond, a singing group started singing. Listening to some famous songs by Rabithakur made the journey complete. If you proceed to the right side of the pond, you will see a library. I like this place very much. This is the repository of all the books of Rabindranath Tagore. Many of the first published books are found here, along with the original manuscripts of each book. The library is relatively small and dark inside. A place that carries such a valuable collection, needs further renovations. Outside Kuthibari there are two buildings called “Sonar Tari” and “Gitanjali”. An open stage and canteen are being constructed on the opposite side of the field. The canteen isn’t yet to be opened but I can’t help but admire the genius behind its construction.
Kulfi Malai is a must-try and famous food here and I tried it. Some Kulfi malai sellers wait out of the exit door. I was waiting to taste this stuff. You will get it between 50-70 Tk. But coming to this place in Kushtia, I had to bargain. After testing the kulfi, it seemed like I tasted the world’s best kulfi malai. Must try Kushtia Kulfi Malai and Tiler Khwaja. Many shops around the entrance gate. I looked around and saw them all. I took a wooden portrait of Lalon Shah as a souvenir.
Cautions and Tips in Rabindra Kuthibari Trip-
1) Close and see half a day and then go for a tour.
2) Keep the ticket with you till visiting the museum.
3) Keep an umbrella, and water bottle with you
4) Photography and touching any object displayed inside the museum is prohibited.
5) The famous Kulfi Malai is available here. Don’t forget to taste.
6) There is no need to haggle with fares, here you will not be charged a penny more than the fair fare.
7) If you want to travel cheaply and relax, travel in a group of 4-5 people and travel by train. Book the train tickets in advance because there is no way to buy tickets at night.
8) Only a one-night train (Sundarban Express) reaches Dhaka from Poradaha. This train reaches Poradaha station at 1:35 midnight. Those who return to Dhaka by train must keep the time in mind.
8) If you want to save time and visit all the famous places of Kushtia in one day, you can rent CNG/auto for the whole day. The rent will be Tk. 1200-1500.
9) Kushtia is a good and safe option for solo travelers and girls.
Other places you can visit in Kushtia-
- Jagati Station
- Mohini Mil
- Lalon Fair
- Tagore Lodge
- The house of Mir Moshraraf Hossain
- Kangal Harinath’s Museum etc
Thank you.