Assam’s Charaideo Maidams now on UNESCO World Heritage list

Guwahati: The ‘Charaideo Maidam’, a 700-year-old mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty in eastern Assam, has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list under the 'cultural property' category.

The decision was taken during the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) held in New Delhi.

The Charaideo Maidam was India’s nomination for UNESCO's World Heritage Site status in the cultural category for 2023-2024. The burial mounds made pyramid-like structures known as 'Maidams', which were used by the erstwhile Tai-Ahom dynasty that ruled Assam for around 600 years from 1228.

Out of 52 sites, Assam’s site was selected by the Government of India.

Soon after the announcement by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in Delhi, celebrations started in the different parts of Assam.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on July 21 announced that the Charaideo Maidam would be India’s 43rd UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the first in the northeast region in the cultural property category.

Expressing his joy, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a post on X: “This is huge. The Maidams make it to the UNESCO World Heritage list under the Cultural Property category -- a great win for Assam. Thank You Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, Members of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, and to the people of Assam.”

He added: “The Maidams of Charaideo embody the deep spiritual belief, rich civilisational heritage, and architectural prowess of Assam’s Tai-Ahom community. Apart from the fact that this announcement has been made from the soil of Bharat, its entry also stands out for two more reasons.

“It is the first time a site from the northeast has made it to the UNESCO World Heritage list under the cultural category, and after Kaziranga and Manas National Parks, it is Assam’s third World Heritage Site. I urge all of you to come and experience Awesome Assam."

On January 16 last year, Chief Minister Sarma wrote to Prime Minister Modi saying that the Assam government has submitted the World Heritage Nomination Dossier for the cultural heritage site of Maidams to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for onward submission to UNESCO for its evaluation in the current year cycle of 2023.

The letter said, “Out of 386 Maidams explored so far, 90 royal burials at Charaideo are the best preserved, representative, and most complete examples of this tradition."

The Charaideo Maidams enshrine the mortal remains of the Ahom royalty. Previously, the deceased were buried with their paraphernalia, but after the 18th century, the Ahom rulers adopted the Hindu method of cremation, later entombing the cremated bones and ashes in a Maidam at Charaideo.

“The Maidams are highly venerated. When the nation celebrated the 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Borphukan, you kindly spared some moments and viewed the exhibition set up in Vigyan Bhawan, which included a model of Maidam that showcased the unique burial architecture and tradition of the Tai Ahoms,” the Chief Minister’s letter stated.