UNESCO today declared India’s Moidams, vaulted mound burial practice of the royal Ahom dynasty in Assam as the country’s 43rd World Heritage Site under the category of cultural property.
The decision was taken at the 46th UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting India is hosting now for the first time. The Committee meets annually and is responsible for managing all matters on World Heritage and deciding on sites to be inscribed on the World Heritage list.
The Moidams of Choraideo can be compared to royal tombs in ancient China and the pyramids of Egyptian pharaohs, illustrating universal themes of honoring and preserving royal lineage through monumental architecture.
Within the broader Tai-Ahom cultural region spanning parts of Southeast Asia and Northeast India, Choraideo stands out for its scale, concentration, and spiritual significance.
The Tai-Ahom clan, migrating from China, established their capital in various parts of the Brahmaputra river valley from 12th to 18th century. One of the most revered sites among them was Choraideo where the Tai-Ahoms established their first capital under Chau-lung Siu-ka-pha at the foothills of the Patkai hills. This sacred site, known as Che-rai-doi or Che-tam-doi, was consecrated with rituals that reflected the deep spiritual beliefs of the Tai-Ahoms.
Over centuries, Choraideo retained its significance as a burial ground where the departed souls of the Tai-Ahom royals transcended into the afterlife.
The Tai-Ahom people believed their kings were divine, leading to the establishment of a unique funerary tradition: construction of Moidams for royal burials. This tradition spanned 600 years, marked by the use of various materials and architectural techniques evolving over time.
Initially using wood, and later stone and burnt bricks, the construction of Moidams was a meticulous process detailed in the Changrung Phukan, a canonical text of the Ahoms. Rituals accompanying royal cremations were conducted with great grandeur, reflecting the hierarchical structure of Tai-Ahom society.
Moidams are characterized by vaulted chambers, often double-storied, accessed through arched passages. The chambers housed centrally-raised platforms where the deceased were laid to rest along with their royal insignia, weapons, and personal belongings.
The construction of these mounds involved layers of bricks, earth, and vegetation, transforming the landscape into undulating hillocks reminiscent of celestial mountains.
Excavation shows each vaulted chamber has a centrally-raised platform where the body was laid. Several objects used by the deceased during his life, like royal insignia, objects made in wood or ivory or iron, gold pendants, ceramic ware, weapons, clothes to the extent of human beings (only from the Luk-kha-khun clan) were buried with their king.
The continuity of the Moidam tradition at Choraideo not only reflects Tai-Ahom beliefs about life, death and afterlife but also served as a testament to their cultural identity amidst shifts towards Buddhism and Hinduism among the population.
The concentration of Moidams at Choraideo distinguishes it as the largest and most significant cluster, preserving the grand royal burial practices unique to the Tai-Ahoms.
Despite challenges such as vandalism by treasure seekers in the early 20th century, concerted efforts by the Archaeological Survey of India and the Assam State Department of Archaeology have restored and preserved the integrity of Choraideo.
