Design Movement in Tagore’s Santiniketan: Alpana-An Experiment in Aestheticism

Design Movement in Tagore’s Santiniketan by Swati Ghosh chronicles the evolution of hand-drawn designs across nations, cultures, and time. It narrates the journey of Bengal’s traditional alpanas—from a folk art to a symbol of cultural identity, from a medium of aesthetic expression to a medium of learning. Set in a rich cultural landscape and a vibrant art and craft panorama, this book also documents Rabindranath Tagore’s constructive efforts in successfully bringing about cultural regeneration through education in art and craft in India after independence. The photographs and hand-drawn sketches by the author attest to an aesthetic heritage that is as old as human civilisation itself.