Ahom ‘Moidam’ in Assam recommended for inclusion in UNESCO World Heritage List

Guwahati: Ahom era ‘Moidams’, resting place of royal families, in Assam’s Charaideo district 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 ‘Evaluations of Nominations of Cultural and Mixed Properties’ for the 46th ordinary session of the World Heritage Committee, to be held in New Delhi on July 21-31.

The report evaluated a total of 36 nominations, including 19 new ones, received from across the globe and the 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),” it said.

With this recommendation, the first-time applicant Moidams are just one step short of formally entering the World Heritage List by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). These were first included in the Tentative List in April 2014.

France-based ICOMOS, also an advisory body to UNESCO for cultural heritage, is an international non-governmental organisation that is comprised of professionals, experts, representatives from local authorities, companies and heritage organisations, and is dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of the architectural and landscape heritage throughout the world.

Inclusion of Moidams in the World Heritage List was sought by the Indian government on the basis of Cultural Criteria (iii), (iv) and (v). The nominated property has an area of 95.02 hectares and a buffer zone of 754.511 hectares.

Criterion (iii) bears a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared and criterion (iv) is for an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates significant stages in human history.

The criterion (v), which ICOMOS rejected, is for an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture or human interaction with the environment, especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change.

The report stated that 90 Moidams are found within the Charaideo necropolis, situated on elevated land. These were created by building an earth mound over a hollow vault constructed of brick, stone or earth, and topped by a shrine at the centre of an octagonal wall.

The Moidams situated in Charaideo are the burial grounds of Ahom kings and queens. These are comparable to the pyramids of Egypt and substances of wonder seen through the brilliant architecture and expertise of the artsmen and masons of Assam of the medieval era.