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Assam State Museum was founded in 1940 with
a nucleus collection assembled by the Kamarupa Anusandhan Samiti (Assam
Research Society). The museum's collection is largely archaeological, with
sections devoted to epigraphy, numismatics and iconography. The sculptures
from the Assam region fall into four principal
categories - stone, wood, metal and terracotta.
According To The Inscriptions
In ancient inscriptions of the Gupta period Assam was referred as "Kamarupa".
Shiva is said to have carried the dead body of his wife Sati and danced in
rage and sadness. Her body was scattered throughout the land by the force
of the dance. Her 'Yoni' (a female organ) fell at the place where the
Kamakhya Devi temple
now stands, on a hill near Guwahati, on
the banks of the Brahmaputra.
Specimen's Of Vaishnava Influence
Worship in this temple continues even today, with blood sacrifices of
animals to appease Goddess Shakti, the powerful female principle. Apart
from mother goddess worship, a strong Vaishnava cult also grew in Assam
and many sculptures in the museum reflect the multiple strands of the
culture of this region.
The bust of the Devi (9th century) and the figures of lovers in the
Assam museum reflect one aspect of the tradition of
Shakti worship. The figures in sculpture carry marked
Assamese features: high cheekbones and
rounded faces, with long, often slanted eyes.
With the conquest of Assam in 1288 by the Ahoms, a
tribe of Thai origin, the influence of Indian
art reached more distant regions, and
in turn developed a new synthesis of cultures. The mighty Ahom rulers
prevented the Mughals from conquering their territory and influencing
their art. During the British rule, like the rest of India, Assam came
into administrative and cultural contact with Britain.
Visiting Hours: 10.00 am-4.30 pm except on Mondays and government
holidays.
Suggested Viewing Time: Half An Hour.
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