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International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) has recommended inclusion of Assam’s Ahom Era Moidams in UNESCO World Heritage List.
- ICOMOS is an advisory body of UNESCO World Heritage Committee for implementation of World Heritage Convention of UNESCO.
Ahom ‘Moidam’
- Situated in Assam’s Charaideo district, they are the burial grounds of rulers of Ahom kingdom, and are often compared to pyramids of Egypt.
- In 13th century, Chau-lung Siu-ka-pha, the founder of Ahom kingdom, established his first capital at Che-rai-doi or Charaideo (at the foothill of Patkai hills).
Architectural features:
- Exterior of Moidams is hemispherical and their sizes vary depending upon the power and status of the person buried.
- Moidam consists of three major features:
- A Vaulted Chamber with a centrally raised platform where the body was laid,
- A hemispherical earthen mound covering the chamber with a brick structure (Chaw-chali), and
- Octagonal boundary wall around mound’s base having an arched gateway on its west.
- Several objects used by deceased during his life, like royal insignia, objects made in wood or ivory or iron, gold pendants etc. were buried with them.
- The Changrung Phukan (canonical text developed by the Ahoms) record the materials used to construct Moidams which include wood, stone and burnt bricks.
