The Moidams of the Ahom dynasty in Assam were on Friday declared a World Heritage Site of India at the 46th consultation of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in New Delhi.
The Moidams have been nominated as India’s applicants for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List for 2023-2024. This makes them the first cultural properties from Northeast India to gain this prestigious popularity from the United Nations firm that works to publicize educational, clinical and cultural development aspects.
Moidams (also spelled Maidam) are burial mounds of the Ahom kings, queens, and nobles of Assam. The so-called ‘Moidam’ comes from the Tai words ‘Phrang-Mai-Dam’ or ‘Mai-Tam’, to bury the spirit of the dead, according to an educational report prepared by the Assam government.
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• Moidams are burial mounds built by the rulers of the Ahom dynasty in Assam from the 13th century to the early 19th century.
• These mounds are noted for their architecture and the foreign influences of the Ahom.
• Moidams are basically used as burial places for Ahom kings, queens and nobles.
• Upper Assam is discovered, with Charaideo, the first capital of Ahom, being the most important necropolis.
• Charaideo has become a sacred place where Ahom royalty were buried according to classical Tai-Ahom rites.
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Each Moidam has 3 parts:
1. A or room where the frame is placed.
2. A hemispherical mound of earth the chamber.
3. A brick design (Chaw-chali) on top for annual offerings and an octagonal perimeter wall with an arched entrance.
The length of the Moidam varies from small mounds to giant mounds, depending on the prestige and resources of the deceased. Originally, the vaults were made of wooden posts and beams, but they were replaced by stone and brick during the reign of King Rudra Singha (CE). 1696-1714).
Inside the vault, the dead were buried with their belongings, clothing, ornaments and weapons. Burial also included valuables and sometimes living or dead attendants.
The practice of burying people alive was abolished by King Rudra Singha.
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The Moidam funerary culture began with the first Ahom king, Chau-lung Siu-ka-pha, who was buried at Charaideo according to Tai-Ahom rites. This practice continued for Ahom royalty, making Charaideo a sacred place during their 600-year reign. .
Over time, under the influence of Hinduism, the Ahoms began to cremate their dead. However, Moidam burials are still practiced through some priestly teams and the extended Chao-dang (royal bodyguards) family.