A feeling of pride embraces the people of Assam as UNESCO declares the Charaideo moidams of the Ahom Dynasty as the first UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site in Northeast India.

There’s a total of 3 world heritage sites in Assam, including Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park under UNESCO Natural World Heritage Sites; now Charaideo Moidams is the latest addition.

You must be curious to know what exactly these moidams are and what their significance is, so let us take you back to the history of the Ahom Dynasty and unfold the pages of a glorious past.

What are these Charaideo moidams?

From the Tai word Phrang-Mai-Dam comes the word Moidam. Phrang-Mai means to bury or place in a grave, while Dam symbolizes the spirit of the dead. Compared to the Pyramids of Egypt, the Moidam is an elevated mound of soil above a burial, associated with the Ahom royalty and kings.

Although moidams of Ahom royals are the only ones found in Charaideo, there are other moidams of nobles and chiefs in the area between Jorhat and Dibrugarh in Eastern Assam. These moidams were used for the burials of Ahom kings and queens. Following King Sukaphaa, the first Ahom king’s burial in Charaideo in 1856, several royals chose the same location for their own final resting place.

The Ahoms, who are descended from the Tai people, buried their dead, unlike the Hindus, who cremated theirs. Charaideo was their first capital city, founded in 1253 AD by King Sukaphaa. Because of its significance in the dynasty’s starting point, it continued to be a ceremonial and symbolic center of authority throughout the Ahom era.

Know their unique architecture.

The outside of the Moidam is hemispherical in shape, and depending on the authority, position, and assets of the individual buried, they can range in size from a little mound to a hillock that is around twenty meters high.

A moidam consists of three main components: an octagonal boundary wall surrounding the base of the mound with an arched gateway, a hemispherical earthen mound enclosing the chamber with a brick building called Chaw-chali for annual offerings over it, and a chamber vault.

It’s interesting to know how the materials and architecture improved with the successive kings, from replacing wood for vaults with bricks and further limestones. In the Ahom Chronicles, it is mentioned that the coffin was known as Rung-dang and was made of a specific type of timber called Uriam (Bescoffia javanica).

Some reflections on the Ahom Dynasty

In the past, the Brahmaputra Valley in Assam, India, was governed by the Ahom Kingdom. It began in the 13th century and continued for almost 600 years until the 19th. The Tai-Ahom ethnicity made up the ruling Ahom group.

They established an influential kingdom renowned for its strong military power and skilled governance. The majority of Ahom architecture was composed of brick and mortar building structures.

How to reach Charaideo?

After all this interesting information, you might want to pack your bags and explore these beautiful grounds entrapping the tales of royal lineage and a celebrated legacy. Worry not! We are here to connect you to the Charaideo moidams from any corner of the world.

The Charaideo moidams are found in the Charaideo district of Assam, which is located just 28 km away from the Shivasagar district. The Charaideo moidam site is well connected by road from Sivasagar, Nazira (18 km), and Sonari (20 km).

If you’re planning to take railways, the nearest railway station is at Simalugri at a distance of 13 km, and for the distant tourists, you would be happily welcomed at the Mohanbari Airport in Dibrugarh at 83 km.

The Charaideo moidams are a prime example of Tai-Ahom cemeteries, ones that embody their funeral customs and related cosmologies.

Also read: Heritage Tourism in Assam: Analysis Through Significant UNESCO World Heritage Sites