Assam's Majuli Gets GI Tag For Mask Making, Manuscript Painting

Majuli is a unique riverine delta located on the Brahmaputra River in Assam. It has been formed due to the dynamics of the vast river system and is primarily rural, home to over 240 villages with a rich mix of tribes and communities. The island is renowned for being the seat of the neo-Vaishnavite culture of Assam and houses satras or monasteries. The satras in Majuli predate the birth of the island, and these ancient satras have a tradition of tribal art, folk culture and heritage of the Ahom kingdom. Each Satra has a distinct identity and serves as a sanctorum to a different art form. For instance, the Dakhinpat and Garamur satras stage theatre performances, which use dramatic masks. Some of these masks have been exhibited in museums abroad, such as the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.