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 colourful art and craft panorama, this book also documents Rabindranath Tagore’s constructive effort in successfully bringing about a cultural regeneration through education in art and craft in India after independence. The photographs and the hand-drawn sketches by the author attest to an aesthetic heritage, which is as old as human civilisation itself.