Guwahati, February 22 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma asserted on Sunday that his government was committed to safeguarding the state's identity as he laid the foundation stone for a museum complex to display the historic 'Vrindavani Vastra'.
The 16th-century silk textile, created under the guidance of Vaishnava saint Srimanta Sankardeva, will be loaned to the state by the British Museum for public display for 18 months, starting in 2027.
"One by one, Assam is reclaiming its glorious heritage... In the heart of Guwahati, I laid the foundation stone of a world-class museum which will house this sacred textile," Sarma said in a post on X after the ceremony.
Describing the development as a significant milestone, he said the move marked a major leap in efforts to bring the 'Vrindavani Vastra' back to Assam, even if for a limited duration.
Sarma said that when he assumed office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had advised him to work simultaneously on 'vikas' (development) and 'virasat' (heritage).
"Since then, our government has worked tirelessly on both fronts. The finalisation of the return of Gurujona's timeless creation is another big step in this direction," he said, referring to Sankardeva as 'Gurujona', a term of reverence meaning leader or teacher.
The CM expressed gratitude to the JSW Foundation for facilitating the arrangement with the British Museum and for undertaking the construction of the international-standard museum in Guwahati to house the textile.
"After ages, Assam will be able to witness this sacred creation here itself. This event is important not only for bringing back Gurujona's legacy to his motherland, but also for demonstrating Assam’s resolve to protect its identity," he said.
"With Gurujona’s blessings, we will protect it," he added.
The Assam government had signed a loan agreement with the British Museum in November last year for the display of the Vrindavani Vastra. This will be the first time that a portion of the textile is exhibited in the state after being taken out of Assam more than a century ago, with fragments now housed in museums across the world.
According to the CM, the textile was taken out of Assam through Tibet, with major fragments currently in museums in London and Paris, and some pieces in institutions in Boston and Los Angeles.
The 'Vrindavani Vastra', depicting scenes from the life of Lord Krishna, was woven at the request of Koch king Nara Narayan and includes verses composed by Sankardeva.
The piece acquired by the British Museum in 1904 from Tibet measures about nine-and-a-half metres in length and consists of multiple silk panels that were later assembled.
