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In an important cultural achievement for India “Moidams – the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty” from Assam has been officially inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

This is the third World Heritage Property from Assam, following Kaziranga National Park and Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, both inscribed under the Natural category in 1985.

The purpose of including these heritage sites in UNESCO’s list is to preserve and promote shared heritage based on OUVs (Outstanding Universal Values) found in cultural, natural as well as mixed properties across 195 countries.

India became a member of the World Heritage Committee from 2021-25 and is currently hosting its first ever session since joining UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention of 1972. The 46th session of the World Heritage Committee started on July 21st and will last until July 31st at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

 

About Moidams – The Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty

Moidams, a royal mound burial site created by the Tai-Ahom in northeastern India, is situated in the foothills of the Patkai Ranges in eastern Assam. These burial mounds are considered sacred by the Tai-Ahom and reflect their unique funerary practices.

The Tai-Ahom people arrived in Assam in the 13th century, establishing Charaideo as their first city and the site of the royal necropolis. For 600 years, from the 13th to the 19th century CE, the Tai-Ahom constructed moidams, or "home-for-spirit," using natural elements like hills, forests, and water to create a sacred geography.

Believing their monarchs to be divine, the Tai-Ahom developed a distinct funerary tradition of constructing moidams for royal burials.

With protection from both central and state regulations, the site is well-maintained to preserve its structural integrity and cultural uniqueness.

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