Assam CM to sign MoU in London to bring back Vrindavani Vastra
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will sign an MoU in London on Monday to bring back the Vrindavani Vastra.
The Vastra is a historic and sacred textile linked to the Vaishnavite heritage of Assam. It will be brought back under a loaning arrangement with the British Museum.
This arrangement is expected to be a significant cultural event for Assam and India.
It will allow the textile, considered a key piece of Assamese heritage, to return to the state temporarily for public exhibition and cultural preservation efforts.
In posts on X on Sunday evening (IST), Sarma wrote: "Tomorrow is a big day for Assam & Bharat. We are signing a MoU with the British Museum so that the sacred Vrindavani Vastra can be brought back home under a loaning arrangement.
Vikas & Virasat continue to be a pillar of our governance agenda.
#VikasBhiVirasatBhi #Assam #Bharat
On my first day in London I visited the city’s waterfront. We are transforming Guwahati’s riverfront and are in the process of borrowing some of the global best practices.
In between, I also met our hardworking diaspora and interacted with them."
The Vrindavani Vastra
The Vrindavani Vastra is a 16th-century sacred textile created under the guidance of Srimanta Sankardeva, the saint-scholar who founded the Neo-Vaishnavite movement in Assam.
The cloth, woven by artisans of the Assamese Satra tradition, depicts scenes from Lord Krishna’s life in Vrindavan.
It is considered one of the most important surviving pieces of Assam’s medieval cultural heritage.
Today, portions of the original textile are preserved in museums abroad, especially the British Museum, which holds one of the largest surviving pieces.
Cultural Significance
Officials and cultural scholars have stated that the temporary return of the Vrindavani Vastra is intended to revive public interest in Sankari culture and strengthen Assam’s global cultural identity.
The government asserts that this initiative is meant to demonstrate its commitment to both development and heritage protection.