A step forward to bring Brindabani Bastra to Assam in 2027 for special 18-month display

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The Assam Government has taken a step forward to bring the 16th-century Brindabani Bastra, a creative marvel of Srimanta Sankardeva, to the state for a certain period for the people of the state to see.

Brindavani Bastra is now in British and French museums as exhibits.

Disclosing this before the media today, Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "In principle, the authorities in the British Museum have agreed to let us bring Brindabani Bastra to Assam for a certain period under certain conditions and options.

The famed Brindabani Bastra will return to Assam 'on loan' from the British Museum in London for an 18-month display in 2027.

The Chief Minister said that the agreement followed years of persistent efforts and came with specific conditions laid down by the British Museum.

Among them is the need of a state-of-the-art museum with advanced environmental and security measures to preserve the priceless textile during its stay in Assam.

"The British Museum has agreed to 'loan' the textile, provided that a museum meeting international standards is created. We have been striving for this moment for a long time, and today, we are moving towards realising our cherished dream," the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister further said that a private group named JSW has stepped in to build the proposed museum as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. The state government has already allotted a bigha of land for the project on the premises of the Sericulture Farm at Khanapara in Guwahati.

"Officials of the British Museum inspected existing museums in Assam but found none suitable for the delicate display. This led to the decision to construct a state-of-the-art museum. Since Brindabani Bastra is a very old fabric, it needs special care in handling. This necessitates the construction of a state-of-the-art museum here to keep it," the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister also said he had written to the Central Government seeking a 'sovereign guarantee' - a formal assurance that the textile will be returned to the British Museum after 18 months without damage. "The authorities of the British Museum have called me to strike the final deal. I'll leave for the UK in October or November this year," he said.

The 'Brindabani Bastra' depicts episodes from the life of Lord Krishna, interwoven with portions of Sankardeva's devotional poetry.

Commissioned by Koch king Nara Narayan in the 16th century, the textile is nearly 9.5 metres long and made of multiple silk drapes.

Originally comprising 15 pieces, it was later assembled into one exhibit. The artwork travelled from Assam to Tibet before being acquired by the British Museum in 1904.

Considered a testament to Assam's weaving tradition, the 'Brindabani Bastra' also reflects influences from diverse artistic styles.

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