Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma held a detailed discussion with chairperson of the JSW Foundation, Sangita Jindal, regarding the construction of a state-of-the-art museum in Guwahati.
The 16th-century silk textile ‘Vrindavani Vastra’ will be displayed at the new museum.
Created by Vaishnav saint Srimanta Sankardeva, the Vrindavani Vastra is currently housed at the British Museum in London, and will be loaned to Assam in 2027 for public display.
“A Historic Step for Assam’s Cultural Heritage. Today, I had a detailed discussion with the Smti Sangita Jindal, Chairperson of @JSWFoundation regarding the construction of a world-class museum in Guwahati to house the priceless Vrindavani Vastra,” Sarma said in a post on X on Saturday.
The chief minister said, “This extraordinary 16th-century textile masterpiece — woven during the time of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva — will come to Assam on loan in 2027. To honour its legacy, JSW will build a state-of-the-art museum in Guwahati, designed as per global standards, following specifications of the British Museum.”
The British Museum has outlined specific conditions for displaying the ‘Vrindavani Vastra’ in Assam for 18 months in 2027, including the requirement of a state-of-the-art museum.
As part of its corporate social responsibility initiative, the JSW Group has volunteered to establish the museum, which will be gifted to Assam.
Sarma explained that after officials from the British Museum visited the state, they evaluated the existing museums and found them unsuitable for display, leading to the decision to construct a new one.
The Vrindavani Vastra, measuring over nine metres and composed of several silk panels originally numbering fifteen, was created under Sankardeva’s guidance at the request of Koch king Nara Narayan. It depicts scenes from the life of Lord Krishna and includes portions of a poem authored by Sankardeva.
The textile serves as a testament to Assamese weaving, incorporating elements from various artistic traditions, and travelled from Assam to Tibet before being acquired by the British Museum in 1904.
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Its return to Assam will offer locals and visitors a rare opportunity to witness a priceless piece of cultural heritage in its place of origin.
