Assam’s manuscript painting showcased at Indie Haat, Nagaon

A CORRESPONDENT

NAGAON: Indie Haat at Bharat Tex 2026 was inaugurated with great enthusiasm, celebrating the extraordinary diversity of India's handloom and handicraft traditions. The event was inaugurated by Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, in the presence of Dr M Beena, Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Amrit Raj, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Vrunda Manohar Desai, Textile Commissioner and Vice-Chairperson, Textiles Committee, and Tanu Kashyap, Director General, National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT).

Among the distinguished participants, Sujit Das, an eminent manuscript painting artist from Nagaon, Assam, is representing the state's centuries-old Sanchipat Puthichitra tradition through a live demonstration and exhibition at the National Crafts Museum, New Delhi, from July 10 to 19. Using traditional natural pigments such as Hengul and Haital, he demonstrates the intricate process of painting on Sanchipat (processed agar tree bark), a unique artistic tradition associated with illustrated manuscripts of the Bhagavata Purana, Kirtan Ghoxa, Ramayana, Mahabharata, and other sacred texts.

During the inaugural programme, Sujit Das also had the opportunity to interact with Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh and Textile Secretary Neelam Shami Rao, highlighting the historical significance of Assam's manuscript painting tradition and discussing the need for greater national and international recognition, documentation, preservation, and promotion of this rare cultural heritage.

A recipient of the Senior Fellowship from the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT), Ministry of Culture, Government of India, Das has dedicated his life to reviving and promoting Assam's traditional manuscript painting. His artwork has also been selected for the 65th National Exhibition of Art of the Lalit Kala Akademi, marking the first national recognition of Assam's Sanchipat Puthichitra in the Akademi's 65-year history.

Having represented Assam and India through exhibitions in more than 35 countries, Sujit Das continues to play a pioneering role in preserving and promoting one of India's most remarkable manuscript painting traditions on the global stage.

Also Read: Assam: Sujit Das of Nagaon receives CCRT Senior Fellowship for manuscript painting