Bhubaneswar: The JSW Group – one of the largest corporate promoters of arts, culture and heritage in the country – has partnered with the Government of Assam to set-up a state-of-the-art museum in Guwahati.
To begin with, the world-class museum will house the Vrindavani Vastra, the 17th-century devotional textile created under the guidance of Srimanta Sankardev and currently preserved at the British Museum in London.
The British Museum has consented to loan the Vrindavani Vastra for public exhibition in Assam in 2026–27, where it will remain for 18 months.
The Government of Assam has allotted land at the Sericulture Farm, Khanapara, Guwahati, for the construction of the museum, which will be fully funded by the JSW Group. The museum will be designed with climate-control systems, conservation protocols, and international museological standards to ensure the safe display of the Vastra.
After the Vastra’s exhibition concludes, the facility will continue as a world-class heritage exhibition space for Guwahati, enabling the city to host international cultural showcases and exhibitions of global significance.
Mrs. Sangita Jindal, Chairperson, JSW Foundation said, “The Vrindavani Vastra is a priceless treasure of Assam and India’s collective cultural heritage. I vividly remember seeing this magnificent textile at the British Museum’s facility in Reading, UK, and feeling the deep devotion and artistry it embodies. It is my unstinted commitment to support the Assam Government in bringing the Vastra home, so that the people of Assam can experience this part of their spiritual and artistic legacy in person. The JSW Group is honored to partner with the Government of Assam in building a befitting museum that will safeguard the Vastra under global standards, while creating a lasting world-class cultural institution in the city of Guwahati.”
The Vrindavani Vastra, a 17th-century silk textile woven under the spiritual guidance of Srimanta Sankardev, is a sacred artefact depicting the early life of Lord Krishna in Vrindavan, representing the cultural and devotional identity of Assam. The Vastra measures approximately 9.5 meters in length and two meters in width, making it one of the largest surviving devotional silk textiles of its era.
Mr. Abin Chaudhuri, architect of the proposed museum, said, “Designing a museum for the Vrindavani Vastra is both an honor and a responsibility. Our vision is to create a space that balances reverence and modernity – where the architecture itself pays homage to the textile’s devotional essence while providing the most advanced conservation facilities. Beyond housing the Vastra, this museum will also give Guwahati a world-class exhibition venue that can host international exhibitions, bringing the global arts community closer to Assam.”
The initiative was recently announced by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, who welcomed the JSW Group’s commitment as a vital step in realizing a long-cherished cultural aspiration of the people of Assam.
