A unique 700-year-old mound-burial system- “Charaideo Moidams” of the Ahom dynasty from Assam State of India has recently been officially inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage List, in the cultural category. It is the 43rd property from India to be included in such a prestigious index, comprising nearly 200 countries.  

This is the first ‘cultural’ site to get listed, as such, from northeast India. This was declared during the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee in New Delhi. Now it is the 43rd World Heritage Site of India. Including this, a total of 13 heritage sites have been listed in India within a decade, and globally India stands at the 6th position for the greatest number of world heritage properties. 

Moidams, a royal mound burial site created by the Tai-Ahom in northeastern India, is situated in the foothills of the Patkai Ranges in eastern Assam. These burial mounds are considered sacred and reflect unique funerary practices. The Tai-Ahom people arrived in Assam by establishing Charaideo as their first city and the site of the royal necropolis. Believing their monarchs to be divine, the Tai-Ahom developed a funerary tradition of constructing moidams for royal burials. These mounds were initially built with wood and later with stone and burnt bricks. Royal cremation rituals were conducted ceremoniously, reflecting the hierarchical structure of Tai-Ahom society. 

This is the third World Heritage Property from Assam, following Kaziranga National Park and Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, both inscribed under the “Natural” category. The Moidams of Charaideo, which celebrate and preserve royal lineage through colossal architecture, are comparable to the pyramids of Egyptian pharaohs and royal graves in ancient China. The purpose of including heritage sites in UNESCO’s list is to preserve and promote shared heritage based on outstanding universal values found in cultural, natural as well as mixed properties across nearly 200 countries. 

Illustratively, India is a land known for its rich heritage and culture. Besides its diverse flora and fauna, India is home to several heritage sites recognised by UNESCO. Assam’s Charaideo Moidam is the latest to join this list.