Assam inks pact with British Museum to bring sacred Brindabani Vastra home

The Assam government and the British Museum signed a Letter of Intent on November 17 to temporarily bring the Brindabani Vastra back to Assam under a loan arrangement, marking what Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described as "a red letter moment" for the state.

The rare textile, currently housed at the British Museum, holds profound significance for Assamese people as a symbol of their spiritual and cultural heritage. The cloth is intimately connected to Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev, reflecting what Sarma called "the devotion and vision" of the revered 15th-century saint and social reformer.

"Assam's heritage, the most rare treasure will return to Assam's land and Assamese people will visit this sacred cloth," the chief minister wrote on Facebook following the signing ceremony. He emphasised that the arrangement would bring the artefact to Assam "with special rules for a limited time only."

Sarma, who is currently in London, described the agreement as a moment of pride for both Assam and India. "This message will definitely make national life and Indians proud," he stated.

The Brindabani Vastra is considered one of Assam's most precious cultural treasures. Rather than merely a textile, it represents centuries of devotional tradition and artistic craftsmanship tied to the Vaishnavite movement that Sankardev pioneered in the region.

The loan arrangement marks a significant development in ongoing discussions about the return of cultural artefacts to their places of origin. Whilst the cloth will only be displayed in Assam temporarily under the terms of the agreement, officials view it as an important step in reconnecting Assamese people with their heritage.