Both Majuli Mask of Assam & Assam Majuli Manuscript Painting find its root in the river island district of Majuli of the state.
Mask making or Mukha Shilpa of Majuli is an age old art form on the island which dates back to the 16th century. Mask making is one of the most famous traditional crafts still practiced in Majuli which is situated in the upper reaches of the river Brahmaputra in upper Assam. The mask making craft has been an integral part of the Sattriya culture of Assam. The craft has been mainly confined to the Satras and individual craftsmen residing in the surrounding villages of the Satras in Majuli.
Similarly, manuscript painting is practiced on the barks of Aquilaria malaccensis locally known as ‘Xashi’ (Agarwood Tree). A long lasting indigenous impermeable ink and colours extracted from natural ingredients are used to paint on the bark. The art form patronized by Ahom Royals illustrate numerous stories and chapters taken from the great Hindu epics Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Bhagavata Purana. The paintings of the Bhagavata-Purana mainly concentrate to depict different stories and events related to the Supreme God Lord Krishna. The above form of arts grew in mediaeval Assam under the guidance of Neo-Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardev.
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