Pyramid-like Ahom burial mounds in Assam to vie for UNESCO World Heritage Site tag.

• Maidams are the burial mounds of Ahom kings, queens and nobles.
• Though Maidams are found in all districts of Upper Assam, Charaideo, first capital of Ahoms was necropolis of almost all Ahom Royals.
• Maidam consists of three major features:
  • A vault or chamber (to keep mortal remains).
  • A hemispherical earthen mound covering the chamber with a brick structure (Chow-chali) for annual offering over it.
  • An octagonal boundary wall having an arched gateway on its west.
• Their sizes vary from a modest mound to a hillock, depending upon the power, status and resources of the person buried.
• Special officer, known as Changrung Phukan, were appointed for construction of all the civil works including royal Maidam.
• Ahom kings used to be buried along with their treasures and articles of their day-to-day use.
• Presently, there are 40 UNESCO WHS in India: 32 cultural (none in the northeast), 7 natural and 1 mixed type.

About Ahom Kingdom

• Traditionally and culturally Ahoms are members of Great Tai (Tai-Yai) group of people.
• They entered upper Assam region of Brahmaputra Valley through Patkai hills under leadership of Chaulung Sinkapha, first king of the Ahom dynasty. He established capital at Charaideo.
• Lachit Borphukan was one of the greatest war generals who fought againts Mughals.