850 Rare Namawali Vrindavani Assam Vastra - Silk with Double Sided Embroidery

Repeated Inscription of the Hindu Chant

"Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare”

In Assam gamuchas depicting woven inscriptions with Vaishnavite mantra in Assami script were used to decorate religious altars where sacred books of Vaishnavite tradition. Such fabrics were popularly known as Vrindavani Vastra.This was the phase of the Bhakti movement which inspired the creation of such Namawali Vastra

This masterpiece is from Bengal that is a neighbour of Assam and so the format & concept may have traveled. But the subject matter differs.

Figures of Lord Krishna in various stages of his life have been depicted on a fine woven-Assam shawl. The figures have been created using double-sided dorukha embroidery that is similar to the type seen in Chamba Rumals.

It is an extremely rare Museum Quality piece with double-sided embroidery and this type is hardly ever found commercially.

Age unknown but estimated to be from the early-mid 1900s

The inscribed chant was popular with the ISKCON movement in the '60s and '70s.

 SIZE: 240cm x 80cm

SIMILAR EXAMPLES:

National Museum Delhi

V & A Museum, London

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This item has spent a lifetime being used for the purpose of its creation with the original artist/user. Signs of this life lived heartily may be present on the piece in the form of stains, thread loss, loose threads, holes, tears, color run and other imperfections. Therefore the condition must be assumed to be “not” perfect. More photos of such imperfections will be provided on request.

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