Assam is poised to showcase the revered 16th-century ‘Vrindavani Vastra’ in an exhibition slated for 2027. This remarkable silk textile, currently housed in the British Museum in London, will be loaned to Assam for 18 months, marking a historic cultural exchange.

The Vrindavani Vastra is no ordinary piece of cloth; it is a masterpiece woven in Assam under the guidance of the revered saint and reformer Srimanta Sankardeva. The textile vividly depicts scenes from the life of Lord Krishna, showcasing the artistic ingenuity and spiritual depth of Assamese culture. Woven at the request of Koch king Nara Narayan, the nine-and-a-half meter long textile incorporates parts of Sankardeva's poems.

The journey of the Vrindavani Vastra is as fascinating as the textile itself. It is believed that pieces of the Vastra were taken to Tibet during the 17th and 18th centuries. Later, in the 19th and 20th centuries, British explorers collected these pieces. The India Museum then acquired them before transferring them to the British Museum. Parts of the original Vrindavani Vastra are also owned by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Musee Guimet in Paris.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the British Museum has, for the first time, agreed to loan the Vrindavani Vastra to Assam, subject to certain conditions. A key requirement is the construction of a state-of-the-art museum in Assam that meets international environmental and security standards. The Assam government has already allocated land in Guwahati for this purpose. The JSW Group has committed to building the museum as part of its corporate social responsibility initiative and will hand it over to the state government.

The return of the Vrindavani Vastra is the result of persistent efforts. Previous attempts to bring the textile back to Assam had been unsuccessful. According to Sarma, the British Museum had earlier inspected existing facilities in Assam but found them unsuitable to host the delicate exhibit.

To ensure the museum meets the required standards, the British Museum will provide the design for the new museum. The state government is working closely with the British Museum, the JSW Group, and the Indian ambassador to Britain. A digital preview of the Vastra will be launched in 2026.

The Vrindavani Vastra exemplifies the weaving methods developed during medieval times. Assamese silk weavers depicted scenes from the Bhagavata and Mahabharata, primarily focusing on the childhood of Lord Krishna, under the supervision of Srimanta Sankardev and his disciple Madhabdev.

The exhibition of the Vrindavani Vastra in Assam will not only allow the people of Assam to reconnect with their spiritual and artistic heritage but also serve as a cultural hub for exhibitions, performances, and educational programs.