Guwahati, Nov 17: In a landmark cultural milestone, the Government of Assam on Monday signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with the British Museum to bring the iconic Vrindavani Vastra—a 16th-century handwoven silk textile depicting scenes from the life of Lord Krishna—to the state for public display in 2027.

The agreement, signed in London in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, marks the first time in over a century that any portion of the sacred textile will return to Assam.

According to the LoI, the British Museum and the Government of Assam have committed to “friendly cooperation” for a loan of the textile, catalogued as As1905,0118.4, to the proposed Museum in Guwahati. The loan will be formalised through a detailed loan agreement covering transportation, conservation, security, insurance and environmental conditions, with the loan period expected to be 3 to 6 months beginning in 2027, subject to the textile’s sensitivity to light exposure.

The British Museum will release the artifact once Assam completes a “new GM facility” (the museum in Guwahati) that meets international standards, and once funding and compliance requirements are satisfied. The LoI will remain in effect for two years until a formal loan agreement is signed, and is explicitly stated to be non-binding, creating no legal obligations but laying the framework for collaboration.

Created under the guidance of Assamese saint-scholar Srimanta Sankardeva at the request of Koch king Nara Narayan, the nine-and-a-half metre Vrindavani Vastra features woven episodes from Krishna’s life and includes verses written by Sankardeva. The masterpiece was taken out of Assam through Tibet and eventually acquired by the British Museum in 1904. Other fragments now reside in museums in Paris, Boston and Los Angeles.

“This is not just a textile; it is a symbol of Assam’s rich spiritual and cultural heritage, reflecting the devotion and vision of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev,” Sarma said on X, calling the signing a “red-letter moment” that reconnects Assam with its timeless legacy.

Sarma credited the JSW Group for facilitating the “homecoming,” including connecting the Assam government with the British Museum and supporting the construction of a world-class museum in Guwahati to display the textile. The Indian High Commissioner in London and the Prime Minister’s Office are being kept closely informed.
For generations, Assamese people have known the Vrindavani Vastra only through photographs and secondary accounts. Its return, albeit temporary, is expected to be a cultural watershed.

“A priceless heritage of our land returns to where it truly belongs,” Sarma said, emphasising that the exhibit will be showcased in Guwahati under strict preservation guidelines mandated by the British Museum.

The Vrindavani Vastra is not just a textile, it is a symbol of Assam’s rich spiritual and cultural heritage, reflecting the devotion and vision of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev.

The signing of the Letter of Intent with London British Museum to bring it back home under a… pic.twitter.com/OnxT5See3r

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) November 17, 2025

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