Assam's Moidams: India's 43rd UNESCO World Heritage Site

• On July 26, 2024, "Moidams – the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty" from Assam was officially inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
• This is India's 43rd World Heritage Site and the third from Assam.
• It's the first cultural heritage site from Northeast India to receive this recognition.
• The announcement was made during the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee in New Delhi.
• India is hosting its first-ever session since joining UNESCO's World Heritage Convention of 1972.
• The session runs from July 21 to July 31, 2024, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

Significance of Moidams

• Moidams are royal burial mounds of the Ahom kings, queens, and nobles.
• They are comparable to the pyramids of Egypt and royal graves in ancient China.
• Located in the foothills of the Patkai Ranges in eastern Assam.
• Approximately 90 Moidams have been discovered.
• Constructed over 600 years, from the 13th to the 19th century CE.
• Reflect unique funerary practices of the Tai-Ahom people.
• Built initially with wood, later with stone and burnt bricks.
• Charaideo Moidams are the most famous, containing around 150 burial mounds.

Historical and Cultural Significance

• Tai-Ahom people arrived in Assam in the 13th century.
• Charaideo was their first city and the site of the royal necropolis.
• Moidams are considered "home-for-spirit" and sacred by the Tai-Ahom.
• They represent the divine status of Ahom rulers.
• Construction involved natural elements like hills, forests, and water to create a sacred geography.
• Banyan trees were used for coffins, and bark manuscripts were planted in the Moidams.
• Royal cremation rituals reflected the hierarchical structure of Tai-Ahom society.

Conservation Efforts and Recognition Process

• Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and Assam State Department of Archaeology collaborate on preservation.
• Protected under both central and state regulations.
• Challenges from early 20th-century treasure hunters have been addressed.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi nominated Moidams as India's official entry in 2023.
• International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) highlighted their outstanding universal value.
• Recognition underscores efforts in preserving these historic treasures.

India's World Heritage Status

• India has successfully inscribed 13 World Heritage Properties in the last decade.
• Now stands at 6th position globally for the most number of World Heritage Properties.
• First Indian Heritage sites (Ajanta Cave, Ellora Cave, Taj Mahal, Agra Fort) were included in 1983.
• Other Assam sites on the list: Kaziranga National Park and Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (Natural category, 1985).
• UNESCO categorizes heritage into Cultural, Natural, and Mixed categories.
• Italy leads with 59 sites, followed by China with 57.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India

About UNESCO

• UNESCO (United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation)
• On November 16, 1945, UNESCO was established in London.
• Headquarter: Paris, France
• UNESCO is an official United Nations agency.
• Its goals include bringing cultural heritage and the equal dignity of all cultures to the forefront of education and establishing global peace.
• Currently, there are 43 UNECO World Heritage Sites in India.