The JSW Group, one of India’s largest corporate patrons of arts and heritage, has partnered with the Government of Assam to establish a state-of-the-art museum in Guwahati, officials announced.
The museum, to be built at the Sericulture Farm in Khanapara, will debut with the exhibition of the Vrindavani Vastra, a 17th-century silk textile created under the spiritual guidance of Srimanta Sankardev. The British Museum has agreed to loan the Vastra for public display in Assam for 18 months during 2026–27.
Measuring 9.5 metres in length and two metres in width, the Vastra depicts the early life of Lord Krishna in Vrindavan and is considered one of Assam’s greatest cultural and devotional treasures. Currently preserved at the British Museum in London, it has long been sought by Assam’s cultural and religious community for public exhibition in its place of origin.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma welcomed the initiative, calling it a vital step in fulfilling a long-cherished cultural aspiration of the people of Assam. The project will be fully funded by the JSW Group and designed to international museological standards, with advanced climate-control and conservation systems to ensure the textile’s preservation.
“This is a priceless treasure of Assam and India’s collective cultural heritage,” said Sangita Jindal, Chairperson of JSW Foundation. “It is my unstinted commitment to support the Assam government in bringing the Vastra home, so that people of Assam can experience this part of their spiritual and artistic legacy.”
The museum’s architect, Abin Chaudhuri, said the design will combine reverence and modernity. “Our vision is to create a space that pays homage to the textile’s devotional essence while offering advanced conservation facilities. Beyond the Vastra, this museum will give Guwahati a world-class exhibition venue for global showcases.”
Following the Vastra’s exhibition, the facility will remain as a permanent heritage space, enabling Guwahati to host international cultural events and exhibitions of global significance.
