Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the Central Government has decided to nominate Assam’s Charaideo Maidams burial sites name for the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage sites list. Biswa tweeted, “If selected, 90 royal burials at Charaideo will be the only cultural heritage site in the North East to get the coveted status. Assam making it to the nomination among 52 sites in India reflects our Adarniya PM’s love & respect for the rich cultural heritage of Assam & NE.”
If selected, 90 royal burials at Charaideo will be the only cultural heritage site in the North East to get the coveted status. Assam making it to the nomination among 52 sites in India really reflects our Adarniya PM's love & respect for the rich cultural heritage of Assam & NE.
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 21, 2023
What is Charaideo?
A town in the Charaideo district, Assam, Charaideo or Che-Rai-Dio, was the first capital of the Ahom Kingdom. Ahom King Chao Lung Siu-Ka-Pha established it. Charaidio remained the symbol of Ahom power even though the kingdom’s capital moved to different places over time. Cheraideo derived from the word Che Rai Doi originated from Tai-Ahom. “Che” means city or town, “Rai” means to shine and “Doi” means hill. Che-Rai-Doi means “the shining city on the hills” in the Ahom language. Che-Tam-Doi-Phi, now known as Charaideo, was the permanent settlement of the first Ahom King Chaolung Sukaphaa, which meant “city of the sacred hill”.
What is Maidam?
A tumulus of the royalty and aristocracy of the medieval Ahom Kingdom is called a Maidam. Maidams are scattered between Dibrugarh and Johrat, but the royal maidams are exclusively found at Charaideo.
The Ahom people originally belonged to the Tai people, and burial is their predominant funeral rite of them. It is opposed to the Hindu cremation system; after the adopted Hinduism, they chose to bury the ashes after cremation. The Maidams consist of underground vaults or chambers which have different purposes. One vault is to keep the body of the departed king with all the necessary things for the afterlife. Others vaults are for caretakers, servants, horses and elephants. The height of a maidam typically indicates the power and stature of the king or person buried under it. Due to various natural calamities, the height of the maidams is reduced. The maidams were not designated by the name of the kings, and still, most remain unidentified. Only the maidams of Gadaghar Singha and Rudra Singha are known.
Today the maidams stand as a major tourist attraction. 30 out of the 150 maidams are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Ahom Kingdom
The Ahom Kingdom was established in the Brahmaputra valley of Assam in 1228 and was founded by Chaolung Sukapha, a 13th-century ruler. The Ahoms created a new state by preventing the older political system of the Bhuiyans. They ruled the land till it was annexed to British India with the signing of the Treaty of Yandaboo in 1826.
