In Brief:
- Nagaon-based artist Sujit Das’s Dashavatar marks the inaugural inclusion of Assamese Sanchipat Puthi Chitra in the Lalit Kala Akademi's national exhibition.
- The artwork was created on Sanchipat—prepared from Agar tree bark (Aquilaria agallocha)—utilizing indigenous natural pigments including Hengul (cinnabar), Haital (orpiment), Dholmati, and Neel.
- Sujit Das, a recipient of the Union Ministry of Culture's Senior Fellowship for 2025–26, has dedicated over 25 years to preserving and practicing Assam's Sattriya-style manuscript painting.
In a historic recognition for Assam's visual arts heritage, artist Sujit Das’s artwork Dashavatar has been selected for the prestigious 65th National Exhibition of Art, organized by the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi. This marks the first time that Assam's centuries-old Sanchipat Puthi Chitra—a traditional manuscript painting form linked to the 15th-century Neo-Vaishnavite renaissance led by Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva—is featured in the national showcase.
Created on Sanchipat (bark derived from the Agar tree) using natural mineral pigments like Hengul and Haital, the piece depicts the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu in classical Sattriya visual style. Das, who holds a Senior Fellowship for his research on rare illustrated manuscripts, has actively promoted the art form nationally and internationally for over two decades.
