Context: The Union government has decided to nominate Assam’s Charaideo Maidams for UNESCO World Heritage Site tag.

Key Points

• The Union government has decided to nominate Assam’s Charaideo Maidams — the Ahom equivalent of the ancient Egyptian pyramids for the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.

• They represent the late medieval (13th-19th century CE) mound burial tradition of the Tai Ahom community in Assam.

• These maidams are comparable to the pyramids because they are actually burial grounds of kings and queens of the Ahom kingdom which was established by Chaolung Siu Ka pha in the year 1228.

• Usurping the Barahi tribe, Chau-lung Siu-ka-pha established the first capital of the Ahoms at the foothill of Patkai hills and named it Che-rai-doi or Che-tam-doi, meaning “a dazzling city above the mountain” in their language and consecrated site with a ritual.

• 90 royal burials at Charaideo are the best-preserved, most representative, and comprehensive examples of this custom out of the 386 Maidams that have so far been excavated.

• In the ritual system and tradition of entombing a deceased Royal,Moi-Dams of Che-Rai-Doican be compared to the royal tombs of ancient China and the Pyramids of the Egyptians Pharaohs.

• It was shortlisted from among 52 sites across the country seeking the World Heritage Site tag.

• There is currently no World Heritage Site in the category of cultural heritage in the northeast.

• The nomination of the Charaideo Maidams has attained significance at a time when the country is celebrating the 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Barphukan.

• Owing to a lack of care for the remaining, most of the unprotected maidams are getting damaged owing to natural causes and encroachment. Incidents of robbery have also been reported near the site.

Burial Practice

• The Ahom rule lasted for about 600 years until the British annexed Assam in 1826.

• After the 18th century, the Ahom rulers adopted the Hindu method of cremation and began entombing the cremated bones and ashes in a Maidam at Charaideo.

• With the shift of Ahom capital south and eastwards, Maidams have been seen in different parts of Northern Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Northern Burma, Southern China and Northeast India – together defining the region where Tai-Ahom culture prevailed.

• In this entire region, the cluster of Moidams in Choraideo distinguishes itself in scale, concentration and being located in the most sacred land of the Tai-Ahoms.

• The Ahom rulers adopted the Hindu practise of cremation after the 18th century, and later entombed the cremated bones and ashes in a Moidam at Charaideo.

Road Ahead

• The maidams in Charaideo which are also famously known as the ‘Pyramids of Assam’ are chosen as India’s nomination for the UNESCO World Heritage tag. The maidams preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Assam State Archaeology Department act as a significant time capsule.