The Moidams in eastern Assam, a 700-year-old burial system of the Ahom dynasty, were added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List on July 26, 2024. This makes them the first cultural site from the Northeast to be included.
Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has welcomed this decision, saying that this day would be remembered as a very significant one. He thanked UNESCO and the World Heritage Committee for recognizing the cultural significance of the Moidams.
🔴 BREAKING!
— UNESCO 🏛️ #Education #Sciences #Culture 🇺🇳 (@UNESCO) July 26, 2024
New inscription on the @UNESCO #WorldHeritage List: Moidams – the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty, #India 🇮🇳.
➡️https://t.co/FfOspAHOlX #46WHC pic.twitter.com/H3NU2AdtIq
What are Moidams?
One more site added to the list of places that holds cultural importance on a global level. This cultural site is located at the base of the Patkai Ranges in Assam. Moidams are home to the dead bodies of the royal family of the Tai-Ahom tribe. There are approximately ninety moidams at the site. These are hollow vaults made of brick, stone, or earth.
According to UNESCO, the Tai-Ahom built these moidams for 600 years, enhancing the natural landscape of hills, forests, and water to create a sacred geography.
Cultural Significance of Moidams
Ahom kings and queens were buried in these moidams. Unlike Hindus, who typically cremate their dead, the Ahoms, originating from the Tai people, preferred the burial system.
The height of a moidam usually indicates the power and status of the person buried inside. However, most moidams are still unidentified, except for those of Gadhadhar Singha and Rudra Singha, a father-son duo who ruled the tribe for many years.
Inside the moidams, the dead king was buried with items he needed for the "afterlife," including servants, horses, livestock, and even their wives. This similarity between Ahom burial practices and those of ancient Egyptians has earned the Charaideo moidams the nickname "Pyramids of Assam."
UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Cultural
| UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site Name | State | Year |
| Moidams – the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty | Assam | 2024 |
| Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas | Karnataka | 2023 |
| Santiniketan | West Bengal | 2023 |
| Dholavira: a Harappan City | Gujarat | 2021 |
| Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana | Telangana | 2021 |
| Jaipur City, Rajasthan | Rajasthan | 2019 |
| Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai | Maharashtra | 2018 |
| Historic City of Ahmadabad | Gujarat | 2017 |
| Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar | Bihar | 2016 |
| The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement | Chandigarh | 2016 |
| Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat | Gujarat | 2014 |
| Hill Forts of Rajasthan | Rajasthan | 2013 |
| The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur | Rajasthan | 2010 |
| Mountain Railways of India | West Bengal, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu | 2008 |
| Red Fort Complex | Delhi | 2007 |
| Mountain Railways of India | West Bengal, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu | 2005 |
| Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park | Gujarat | 2004 |
| Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) | Maharashtra | 2004 |
| Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya | Bihar | 2002 |
| Mountain Railways of India | West Bengal, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu | 1999 |
| Humayun's Tomb, Delhi | Delhi | 1993 |
| Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi | Delhi | 1993 |
| Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi | Madhya Pradesh | 1989 |
| Elephanta Caves | Maharashtra | 1987 |
| Great Living Chola Temples | Tamil Nadu | 1987 |
| Group of Monuments at Pattadakal | Karnataka | 1987 |
| Churches and Convents of Goa | Goa | 1986 |
| Fatehpur Sikri | Uttar Pradesh | 1986 |
| Group of Monuments at Hampi | Karnataka | 1986 |
| Khajuraho Group of Monuments | Madhya Pradesh | 1986 |
| Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram | Tamil Nadu | 1984 |
| Sun Temple, Konârak | Odisha | 1984 |
| Agra Fort | Uttar Pradesh | 1983 |
| Ajanta Caves | Maharashtra | 1983 |
| Ellora Caves | Maharashtra | 1983 |
| Taj Mahal | Uttar Pradesh | 1983 |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Natural
| UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site Name | State | Year of Notification |
| Kaziranga National Park | Assam | 1985 |
| Keoladeo Ghana National Park | Rajasthan | 1985 |
| Manas Wildlife Sanctuary | Assam | 1985 |
| Nanda Devi National Park and Valley of Flowers | Uttarakhand | 1988, 2005 |
| Sundarbans National Park | West Bengal | 1987 |
| Western Ghats | Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala | 2012 |
| Great Himalayan National Park | Himachal Pradesh | 2014 |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Mixed
A mixed heritage site is a place where components of both natural and cultural importance are present, making it a mixed kind of heritage.
| Mixed World Heritage Site | State | Year of Notification |
| Khangchendzonga National Park | Sikkim | 2016 |
Check Full List Here:
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