- The Charaideo Moidams, a 700-year-old mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty from Assam, were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, making them the 43rd property from India to be included.
- The announcement was made at the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee in Delhi.
- Union Minister for Culture and Tourism highlighted the global recognition of Assam’s rich cultural heritage, comparing the Moidams to the pyramids of Egypt.
- The Ahoms switched to the Hindu method of cremation in the 18th century, entombing cremated bones and ashes in Moidams at Charaideo.
- The Moidams are the first cultural World Heritage Site in India’s northeastern states.
- Assam also home to two natural sites: Kaziranga and Manas National Parks.
- Nominated as India’s official entry in 2023, the Charaideo Moidams include 90 well-preserved examples out of 386 explored, representing the best of this tradition.
| Moidam • A typical moidam at Charaideo contains one or more chambers in a vault. • On top of these is a hemispherical earthen mound, rising high above the ground, covered in grass. • On top of this mound, there is a pavilion, known as the chow chali. • A low octagonal wall surrounds the mound with one entrance. • Originating from the Tai people. • Inside the chambers of the moidam, the dead king would be buried along with items he needed for the “afterlife”, as well as servants, horses, livestock and even their wives. • It is the similarity of the Ahom burial rites with that of the ancient Egyptians that give Charaideo moidams the moniker of “Pyramids of Assam.” |
Dig Deeper: Also read about the Santiniketan and Hoyasala Temples which are included in World Heritage List last year.
