Charaideo Maidam, also spelled Moidam, located in eastern Assam, has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list under the category of cultural property.
Similar to the Egyptian pyramids, the maidams are earthen burial mounds of members of the Ahom royal family, whose 600-year rule came to an end due to British occupation of the region.
Charaideo Maidam is the first site in the Northeast in the category of cultural property and the 43rd site in India to be recognised as a World Heritage Site.
Assam has two other such sites in the natural category – Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park, both upgraded to tiger reserves.
Apart from the mortal remains of the Ahom rulers, their belongings are also kept in maidams.
After the 18th century, the Ahoms adopted the Hindu method of cremation and started burying the bones and ashes after cremation in a Maidam at Charaideo.
