Assam CM Lays Foundation Stone for Museum to Preserve ‘Vrindavani Vastra’
Guwahati to host world class complex as British Museum agrees to loan 16th-century textile for 18 months from 2027
Assam, Feb 23 : Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday laid the foundation stone for a museum in Guwahati that will house the historic Vrindavani Vastra, asserting that his government is committed to preserving Assam’s cultural identity.
The 16th century silk textile, created under the guidance of Vaishnava saint Srimanta Sankardeva, will be loaned by the British Museum for public exhibition in the state for 18 months beginning in 2027.
Heritage and Development Push
Calling the project a milestone, Sarma said the initiative reflects Assam’s broader effort to reclaim its cultural legacy. In a post on social media platform X, he described the upcoming facility as a world-class complex in the heart of the city that would temporarily bring back the sacred textile to its place of origin.
He said that upon assuming office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had advised him to pursue both development and heritage preservation simultaneously. The loan agreement for the textile, finalised last November, was described as a significant step in that direction.
Global Journey of the Textile
The Vrindavani Vastra was woven at the request of Koch king Nara Narayan and depicts episodes from the life of Lord Krishna, accompanied by verses composed by Sankardeva. The textile was taken out of Assam over a century ago through Tibet, with fragments now preserved in institutions in London, Paris, Boston and Los Angeles.
The section acquired by the British Museum in 1904 measures roughly nine and a half metres and comprises multiple silk panels stitched together.
Sarma expressed gratitude to the JSW Foundation for facilitating the arrangement and supporting construction of the museum. Prominent industrialists Savitri Jindal and Sajjan Jindal were present at the foundation ceremony.
The exhibition will mark the first time in more than a century that a portion of the revered textile returns to Assam for public viewing.
