Guwahati, the 'Moidams' of the Ahom era, resting place of royal families, in the Charaideo district of Assam, have been recommended for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List by its international advisory body ICOMOS.
The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) has prepared a report 'Assessments of Cultural and Mixed Property Nominations' for the 46th Ordinary Session of the World Heritage Committee, to be held in New Delhi from 21 to 31 July.
The report accessed evaluates a total of 36 nominations, including 19 new ones, received from all over the world and Ahom Moidam was the only applicant from India. "ICOMOS recommends that Moidams, the mound burial system of the Ahom dynasty , India, be inscribed on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (iii) and (iv)," he said.
With this recommendation, the Moidams, first-time applicants, are just one step away from formally entering the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). These were first included in the Tentative List in April 2014.
ICOMOS, based in France and also UNESCO's advisory body for cultural heritage, is an international non-governmental organization composed of professionals, experts, representatives of local authorities, businesses and heritage organizations, and is dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of heritage cultural. architectural and landscape heritage around the world.The Indian government requested the inclusion of Moidams in the World Heritage List based on Cultural Criteria (iii), (iv) and (v). The proposed property has an area of 95.02 hectares and a buffer zone of 754,511 hectares.
Criterion (iii) provides a unique or at least exceptional testimony of a cultural tradition or civilization that is alive or has disappeared and criterion (iv) is for an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape that illustrates important stages in the history of humanity.
Criterion (v), which ICOMOS rejected, is for an outstanding example of traditional human settlement, land use or sea use that is representative of a culture or human interaction with the environment, especially where it has become vulnerable under the impact. of irreversible change.The report states that 90 Moidams are located within the Charaideo necropolis, located on high ground. These were created by building an earthen mound over a hollow vault built of brick, stone or earth, and topped by a sanctuary in the center of an octagonal wall.
The Moidams situated in Charaideo are the cemeteries of the Ahom kings and queens. They are comparable to the pyramids of Egypt and wonderful substances seen through the brilliant architecture and experience of the artists and masons of Assam of the medieval times.
"ICOMOS considers the nominated property to demonstrate 600 years of Tai-Ahom traditions at Charaideo. ICOMOS considers the nominated property to be an exceptional example of a Tai-Ahom necropolis that tangibly represents their funerary traditions and associated cosmologies," the report says. . said. He stressed that the conditions of 'integrity and authenticity' of the property have been met. There are no inhabitants within the nominated property and approximately 4,017 inhabitants live in the buffer zone.
"The proposed property is well maintained and there are no adverse effects of the development. Most of the moidams are intact. Five of the moidams have been subject to archaeological excavations, involving different levels of intervention," he added.
Based on information provided by the state and observations from the ICOMOS technical assessment mission, the main factors affecting the property are heavy rainfall, soil erosion and vegetation growth, the report notes. "Work is being carried out to prevent soil erosion and the growth of trees on the mounds," he added.
ICOMOS noted that the area has a high concentration of Moidams associated with Tai-Ahoms. There are other associated elements located in the buffer zone such as Moidams and sites related to the funerary system.
"The buffer zone has been extensively surveyed and officially demarcated and all archaeological sites are clearly marked," he said, adding that an ICOMOS technical assessment mission visited the nominated property from October 5 to 11 last year. The site is jointly managed by two independent entities: the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Directorate of Archeology (DoA) of the Government of Assam. All matters affecting prohibited and regulated areas are approved by the joint management.
"ICOMOS considers that legal protection is adequate. Joint management agreements require continuous and effective coordination. Further development of the management system is necessary to include a sustainable tourism strategy and an interpretation plan," the 321 document states. pages.
Considering that the current documentation, conservation and monitoring is adequate by the ASI and DoA, ICOMOS declared that there is a continuous program of recording details and the state provided the inventory of the 319 known moidams in the Brahmaputra Valley in additional information file in February 2024. The Tai-Ahoms migrated to present-day Assam in the 13th century and chose Charaideo as their first capital and location for the royal necropolis. For 600 years, until the 19th century, they created moidams that work with the natural features of hills, forests and water, creating sacred geography by accentuating natural topography.
The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) has prepared a report 'Assessments of Cultural and Mixed Property Nominations' for the 46th Ordinary Session of the World Heritage Committee, to be held in New Delhi from 21 to 31 July.
The report accessed evaluates a total of 36 nominations, including 19 new ones, received from all over the world and Ahom Moidam was the only applicant from India. "ICOMOS recommends that Moidams, the mound burial system of the Ahom dynasty , India, be inscribed on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (iii) and (iv)," he said.
With this recommendation, the Moidams, first-time applicants, are just one step away from formally entering the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). These were first included in the Tentative List in April 2014.
ICOMOS, based in France and also UNESCO's advisory body for cultural heritage, is an international non-governmental organization composed of professionals, experts, representatives of local authorities, businesses and heritage organizations, and is dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of heritage cultural. architectural and landscape heritage around the world.The Indian government requested the inclusion of Moidams in the World Heritage List based on Cultural Criteria (iii), (iv) and (v). The proposed property has an area of 95.02 hectares and a buffer zone of 754,511 hectares.
Criterion (iii) provides a unique or at least exceptional testimony of a cultural tradition or civilization that is alive or has disappeared and criterion (iv) is for an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape that illustrates important stages in the history of humanity.
Criterion (v), which ICOMOS rejected, is for an outstanding example of traditional human settlement, land use or sea use that is representative of a culture or human interaction with the environment, especially where it has become vulnerable under the impact. of irreversible change.The report states that 90 Moidams are located within the Charaideo necropolis, located on high ground. These were created by building an earthen mound over a hollow vault built of brick, stone or earth, and topped by a sanctuary in the center of an octagonal wall.
The Moidams situated in Charaideo are the cemeteries of the Ahom kings and queens. They are comparable to the pyramids of Egypt and wonderful substances seen through the brilliant architecture and experience of the artists and masons of Assam of the medieval times.
"ICOMOS considers the nominated property to demonstrate 600 years of Tai-Ahom traditions at Charaideo. ICOMOS considers the nominated property to be an exceptional example of a Tai-Ahom necropolis that tangibly represents their funerary traditions and associated cosmologies," the report says. . said. He stressed that the conditions of 'integrity and authenticity' of the property have been met. There are no inhabitants within the nominated property and approximately 4,017 inhabitants live in the buffer zone.
"The proposed property is well maintained and there are no adverse effects of the development. Most of the moidams are intact. Five of the moidams have been subject to archaeological excavations, involving different levels of intervention," he added.
Based on information provided by the state and observations from the ICOMOS technical assessment mission, the main factors affecting the property are heavy rainfall, soil erosion and vegetation growth, the report notes. "Work is being carried out to prevent soil erosion and the growth of trees on the mounds," he added.
ICOMOS noted that the area has a high concentration of Moidams associated with Tai-Ahoms. There are other associated elements located in the buffer zone such as Moidams and sites related to the funerary system.
"The buffer zone has been extensively surveyed and officially demarcated and all archaeological sites are clearly marked," he said, adding that an ICOMOS technical assessment mission visited the nominated property from October 5 to 11 last year. The site is jointly managed by two independent entities: the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Directorate of Archeology (DoA) of the Government of Assam. All matters affecting prohibited and regulated areas are approved by the joint management.
"ICOMOS considers that legal protection is adequate. Joint management agreements require continuous and effective coordination. Further development of the management system is necessary to include a sustainable tourism strategy and an interpretation plan," the 321 document states. pages.
Considering that the current documentation, conservation and monitoring is adequate by the ASI and DoA, ICOMOS declared that there is a continuous program of recording details and the state provided the inventory of the 319 known moidams in the Brahmaputra Valley in additional information file in February 2024. The Tai-Ahoms migrated to present-day Assam in the 13th century and chose Charaideo as their first capital and location for the royal necropolis. For 600 years, until the 19th century, they created moidams that work with the natural features of hills, forests and water, creating sacred geography by accentuating natural topography.
