On an island in the Brahmaputra River, Assam India, there are a number of monasteries dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu. Annually the monks create a great festival dance central to their worship celebrating the incarnations of Vishnu, especially Krishna. The island throbs with drums, spectacular dancing and dramatic reenactments of the stories of the Gods. The dances depicted here were part of the Raasleela celebration at Kamalabari monastery.

The monasteries have been on Majuli Island for many centuries and represent a deep, mystical step into the past. Included here from one of the monastery treasuries are photographic copies of three pages from ancient illuminated manuscripts called the Bhagavat of Sankardeva or the Bhagavat Puron, printed on the bark of the Sachi tree.

Sri Sankardeva (1449-1568) is the great scholar-saint of Assam.