2024-08-06
Assam’s Charaideo Moidams, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are royal burial sites of the Ahom dynasty, which ruled Assam from 1228 to 1826 AD.
- A moidam is a mound of earth over a grave, typically containing one or more chambers with an earthen mound covered in grass and a pavilion on top.
- Unlike Hindus who cremate their dead, the Ahoms, originating from the Tai people, practiced burial.
- Charaideo, the first capital established by King Sukaphaa in 1253 AD, remained a symbolic and ritual center of power for the Ahoms.
- The burial sites contain items for the afterlife and are reminiscent of ancient Egyptian rites, earning the nickname “Pyramids of Assam.”
