Heritage Without Borders: the Moidams of Charaideo

In July 2024, UNESCO inscribed the Moidams of the Tai-Ahom dynasty at Charaideo as a World Heritage Site. It was the first cultural property from Northeast India on the list, and India's 43rd World Heritage Site, joining Assam's two natural sites, Kaziranga and Manas.

Moidams are vaulted burial mounds built by the Ahom, who ruled much of the Brahmaputra valley for around six centuries. The site at Charaideo, in Charaideo district roughly 28 km from Sivasagar, was the dynasty's first capital and holds the burials of kings and royal family members.

A visit is quiet and requires context. Read about the Ahom before you go, hire a local guide if possible, and treat the mounds as the graves they are: keep to paths, do not climb the mounds and do not leave rubbish. Confirm opening times and any entry fee with the Archaeological Survey of India or Assam Tourism.