Moidam: Difference between revisions

Moidam
UNESCO World Heritage Site
	Royal maidam at Charaideo, 2009
Official name	Moidams – the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty
Location	Assam
Criteria	Cultural: (iii) (iv)
Reference	1711
Inscription	2024 (46th Session)

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Frang-Mai-Dam or Moidam for short (Ahom:𑜉𑜩𑜓𑜝𑜪;meaning:Burial of the dead) is a traditional tumulus of the Ahom religion.^[1] The royal maidams of Charaideo are listed as UNESCO world heritage site.^[2]^[3] Maidams are often compared with the Egyptian pyramids of the Pharaohs and the tombs of ancient Chinese royalty.^[4]^[5] Today, the people of the four clans namely Mo-Hung, Mo-Cham, Chaodang and Mo-Plong follow the tomb tradition of Ahom religion. ^[1]

Structurally, a maidam consists of vaults with one or more chambers.^[6] The vaults have a domical superstructure that is covered by a hemispherical earthen mound that rises high above the ground with an open pavilion at the peak called chow chali. An octagonal dwarf wall encloses the entire maidam.

Burial is the predominant funeral rite of the Tai people, to which the Ahom people originally belonged. This is opposed to the Hindu system of cremation. After the Ahom kings adopted Hinduism, they chose to bury the ashes after cremation.

The Ahom community in Assam consider the excavation as an affront to their tradition, because the maidams are associated with the Ahom ancestor worship and the festival of Me-Dam-Me-Phi.

Etymology

The word Maidam is shorter form of Tai-Ahom word Phrang-Mai-Dam.^[7] Phrang-Mai means to bury and Dam means dead ones or Ancestral Spirit.^[8]

Maidams

Inside the Maidams there are underground vaults or chambers for different purposes, one for keeping the body of the departed king with all the necessary things for afterlife, and others for the servants, care-takers, horses, and elephants.^{[citation needed]} The present height of Maidams is reduced due to various natural calamities. In earlier times at least 10 living persons were buried alive with the departed king to take care of him in afterlife, however this custom was abolished by Rudra Singha.

Height of the Maidams depended on the power of the kings, most of the Maidams were not designated by the name of kings, so most remain unidentified, except the Maidams of Gadadhar Singha and Rudra Singha. Most of the big Maidams belongs from the late 17th century and 18th century, earlier most of the Maidam chambers were built using solid wood poles and beams, it got replaced with bricks and stones since Gadadhar Singha and his successors.^{[citation needed]} As a custom only the people of Gharphaliya and Lakhurakhan clans were permitted to bury the dead bodies of Kings and queens. There was a specified officer called Chang-Rung Phukan responsible for construction of Maidams. Chang-Rung Phukan was also the Chief-architect of Ahom kingdom.^[9] Officers called Maidam Phukans and guards called Maidamiya were appointed to protect and maintain the Maidams.

The structural construction and the process of royal burials are explained in historical documents called Chang-Rung Phukanor Buranji, which detail even the articles that were buried. Later excavations under the Archaeological Survey of India found some of the maidams previously defiled,^[10] with the articles mentioned in the Buranji missing. Many of the maidams were excavated and looted, most famously under the Mughal general Mir Jumla who had occupied Garhgaon briefly in the 17th century, and by the British after 1826.

In the past, when any king or a warrior died in a battle, their severed heads were brought and buried here. When the Chutia kingdom fell to the Ahoms in 1524, the heads of the Chutia king and his son were also buried in the tomb of Charaideo.^[11]

Excavation

Being famous for its vault treasure Maidams also attracted many plunderers from Mughals, British to even local people, who have plundered the maidams multiple times. The earliest sketch of Maidam was made by 1848 by Serjeant C.Clayton who superintendent an excavation of a Maidam in the 1840s.

In 2000-02, Archaeological Survey of India, Guwahati circle excavated Maidam No. 2. It retained the characteristics of a full-fledged Maidam. The Maidam vault and covering earthen mound was made out of burned bricks, and encircled by an octagonal boundary wall. There was a hole at the roof of the Maidam indicating it was robbed earlier. The arched-shaped door of the maidam was found on the western side after it was excavated, which was originally covered with bricks and stone masonry. Though already robbed it still yielded several artefacts including skeleton remains of 5 individuals, ivory decorative pieces, several pieces of wooden objects (including a Xorai designed at the shape of a pillar), an ivory panel depicting royal Ahom insignia, carvings of elephants, peacock and floral motifs etc. The exact dating of this Maidam couldn't be done, but it is estimated at the first half of the 18th century.^[9]

Notes

^ ^a ^b Gohain, Dr. BK (2009). Tai-ahom Janagosthi Aru Tai Parampara Ed. 1st. p. 283.
^ World Heritage List
^ Kalita 2023, Times of India, Unesco ICOMOS Expert Arrives At Assam's Charaideo District, Vying For World Heritage Status
^ Moidams – the Mound-Burial system of the Ahom Dynasty - UNESCO
^ Desai, Raha (2004), page 450, The Dying Earth People's Action, Nature's Reaction,ACB Publications,ISBN:9788187500216, 8187500212
^ (ASI 2007)
^ Brochure on moidams at Charaideo, Sivasagar, Government of Assam p. 04
^ Brochure on moidams at Charaideo, Sivasagar, Government of Assam p. 04
^ ^a ^b "Maidams at Charaideo" (PDF). 2014.
^ (Dutta & Das 2003)
^ Barua, G.C, "Ahom Buranji, p. 57

References

Gogoi, Padmeswar (1976). Tai-Ahom Religion and cusotms (1st ed.). Publication Board, Gauhati, Assam.
ASI (2007). "Group of Maidams, Charaideo". Archaeological Survey of India, Government of India. Archived from the original on 2009-04-10. Retrieved 2007-11-30.
Dutta, Pullock; Das, Ripunjay (3 January 2003). "Bounty hunters beat ASI to tombs". The Telegraph (Kolkata). Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved 2007-12-06.
Das, Ripunjay (2006-01-19). "Saving Ahom kingdom - Local youths push for Unesco tag to protect Charaideo". The Telegraph (Kolkata). Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved 2007-12-06.
Terweil, B J (1979). "Tai Funeral Customs: Towards a Reconstruction of Archaic-Tai Ceremonies". Anthropos. 74 (3/4): 393–432. JSTOR 40460011.
Choudhury, Dr Satabdi Roy (2022-03-26). Amazing Assam. BFC Publications. ISBN 978-93-5509-778-1.

External links

Moidams in Dibrugarh District, Assam
Lachit Moidam The Moidam of Lachit Borphukan.
Multi-crore rupee project to give facelift to Ahom maidams The Telegraph, August 4, 2006.

[gohain-1] Gohain, Dr. BK (2009). Tai-ahom Janagosthi Aru Tai Parampara Ed. 1st. p. 283.

[2] World Heritage List

[3] Kalita 2023, Times of India, Unesco ICOMOS Expert Arrives At Assam's Charaideo District, Vying For World Heritage Status

[:0-4] Moidams – the Mound-Burial system of the Ahom Dynasty - UNESCO

[5] Desai, Raha (2004), page 450, The Dying Earth People's Action, Nature's Reaction,ACB Publications,ISBN:9788187500216, 8187500212

[6] (ASI 2007)

[7] Brochure on moidams at Charaideo, Sivasagar, Government of Assam p. 04

[8] Brochure on moidams at Charaideo, Sivasagar, Government of Assam p. 04

[:1-9] "Maidams at Charaideo" (PDF). 2014.

[10] (Dutta & Das 2003)

[11] Barua, G.C, "Ahom Buranji, p. 57

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{confused|Maidan}}
 {{short description|Tumuli of the Ahom Kingdom}}
+{{Infobox UNESCO World Heritage Site
-[[File:Charaideo_Maidam_of_Ahom_Kings_at_Charaideo_in_Sivasagar,_Assam_4.jpg|thumb|300px|A Maidam at Charaideo]]
+| WHS         =Moidam
-A '''maidam''' is a [[tumulus]] of the royalty and aristocracy of the medieval [[Ahom Kingdom]] (1228–1826) in [[Assam]]. The royal {{transl|as|maidams}} are found exclusively at Charaideo; whereas other {{transl|as|maidams}} are found scattered in the region between [[Jorhat]] and [[Dibrugarh]] towns. Structurally, a ''maidam'' consists of vaults with one or more chambers.<ref>{{Harvcol|ASI|2007}}</ref> The vaults have a domical superstructure that is covered by a hemispherical earthen mound that rises high above the ground with an open pavilion at the peak called ''chow chali''. An octagonal dwarf wall encloses the entire ''maidam''.
+|Official_name= Moidams – the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty
+|image=Charaideo_Maidam_of_Ahom_Kings_at_Charaideo_in_Sivasagar,_Assam_4.jpg
+|caption=Royal maidam at [[Charaideo]], 2009
+|Location=[[Assam]]
+|Type=Cultural|Criteria=(iii) (iv)|year=2024|ID=1711}}
+'''Frang-Mai-Dam''' or '''Moidam''' for short ([[Ahom language|Ahom]]:𑜉𑜩𑜓𑜝𑜪;meaning:Burial of the dead) is a traditional [[tumulus]] of the [[Ahom religion]].<ref name="gohain">{{cite book | title=Tai-ahom Janagosthi Aru Tai Parampara Ed. 1st| publisher=| author=Gohain, Dr. BK| year=2009| url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.452116/page/n298/mode/1up| pages=283}}</ref> The royal {{transl|as|maidams}} of [[Charaideo]] are listed as [[UNESCO world heritage site]].<ref>[https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/ World Heritage List]</ref><ref>Kalita 2023, [https://m.timesofindia.com/city/guwahati/unesco-icomos-expert-arrives-at-assams-charaideo-district-vying-for-world-heritage-status/amp_articleshow/104246759.cms Times of India, Unesco ICOMOS Expert Arrives At Assam's Charaideo District, Vying For World Heritage Status]</ref> Maidams are often compared with the [[Egyptian pyramids]] of the [[Pharaohs]] and the [[Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties|tombs of ancient Chinese royalty]].<ref name=":0">[https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5915/ Moidams – the Mound-Burial system of the Ahom Dynasty] - UNESCO </ref><ref>Desai, Raha (2004), page 450, [https://books.google.com/books?id=BVp-AAAAMAAJ The Dying Earth] People's Action, Nature's Reaction,ACB Publications,ISBN:9788187500216, 8187500212 </ref> Today, the people of the four clans namely Mo-Hung, Mo-Cham, Chaodang and Mo-Plong follow the tomb tradition of [[Ahom religion]]. <ref name="gohain"/>
-Burial is the predominant funeral rite of the [[Tai people]], to which the [[Ahom people]] originally belonged.  This is opposed to the Hindu system of [[cremation]].  After the Ahom kings adopted Hinduism, they chose to bury the ashes after cremation.
+Structurally, a ''maidam'' consists of vaults with one or more chambers.<ref>{{Harvcol|ASI|2007}}</ref> The vaults have a domical superstructure that is covered by a hemispherical earthen mound that rises high above the ground with an open pavilion at the peak called ''chow chali''. An octagonal dwarf wall encloses the entire ''maidam''.
+Burial is the predominant funeral rite of the [[Tai people]], to which the [[Ahom people]] originally belonged. This is opposed to the Hindu system of [[cremation]].  After the Ahom kings adopted Hinduism, they chose to bury the ashes after cremation.
 The [[Ahom people|Ahom]] community in Assam consider the excavation as an affront to their tradition, because the {{transl|as|maidams}} are associated with the Ahom ancestor worship and the festival of [[Me-Dam-Me-Phi]].
+[[File:Charaideo_Moidams_,Assam.jpg|thumb|Charaideo Maidams - UNESCO World Heritage Site ,Assam]]
+==Etymology==
+The word Maidam is shorter form of  Tai-Ahom word Phrang-Mai-Dam.<ref>[https://sivasagar.assam.gov.in/document/brochure Brochure on moidams at Charaideo], Sivasagar, Government of Assam p. 04</ref> Phrang-Mai means to bury and Dam means dead ones or Ancestral Spirit.<ref>[https://sivasagar.assam.gov.in/document/brochure Brochure on moidams at Charaideo], Sivasagar, Government of Assam p. 04</ref>
 == Maidams ==
-Inside the Maidams there are underground vaults or chambers for different purposes, one for keeping the body of departed king with all the necessary things  for afterlife, and others for the servents, care-takers, horses and elephants.{{Cn|date=May 2023}} The present height of Maidams is reduced due to various natural calamities. In earlier times at least 10 living persons were buried alive with the departed king to take care of him in afterlife, however this custom was abolished by [[Rudra Singha]].
+Inside the Maidams there are underground vaults or chambers for different purposes, one for keeping the body of the departed king with all the necessary things for afterlife, and others for the servants, care-takers, horses, and elephants.{{Cn|date=May 2023}} The present height of Maidams is reduced due to various natural calamities. In earlier times at least 10 living persons were buried alive with the departed king to take care of him in afterlife, however this custom was abolished by [[Rudra Singha]].
 [[File:Charaideo Maidam of Ahom Kings at Charaideo in Sivasagar, Assam 1.jpg|thumb|Maidam no 1, unidentified maidam of an Ahom king, 265 meter in diameter]]
-Height of the Maidams depended on the power of the kings, most of the Maidams were not designated by the name of kings, so most remain unidentified, except the Maidams of [[Gadadhar Singha]] and [[Rudra Singha]]. Most of the big Maidams belongs from the late 17th century and 18th century, earlier most of the Maidam chambers were built using solid wood poles and beams, it got replaced with bricks and stones since Gadadhar Singha and his succesors.{{Cn|date=May 2023}} As a custom only the people of Gharphaliya  and Lakhurakhan clans were permitted to bury the dead bodies of Kings and queens. There was a specified officer called Chang-Rung Phukan responsible for construction of Maidams. Chang-Rung Phukan was also the Chief-architect of Ahom kingdom.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |first= |date=2014 |title=Maidams at Charaideo |url=http://asiguwahaticircle.gov.in/publication/Chaaideo%20maidams.pdf }}</ref> Officers called Maidam Phukans and guards called Maidamiya were appointed to protect and maintain the Maidams.
+Height of the Maidams depended on the power of the kings, most of the Maidams were not designated by the name of kings, so most remain unidentified, except the Maidams of [[Gadadhar Singha]] and [[Rudra Singha]]. Most of the big Maidams belongs from the late 17th century and 18th century, earlier most of the Maidam chambers were built using solid wood poles and beams, it got replaced with bricks and stones since Gadadhar Singha and his successors.{{Cn|date=May 2023}} As a custom only the people of Gharphaliya and Lakhurakhan clans were permitted to bury the dead bodies of Kings and queens. There was a specified officer called Chang-Rung Phukan responsible for construction of Maidams. Chang-Rung Phukan was also the Chief-architect of Ahom kingdom.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |first= |date=2014 |title=Maidams at Charaideo |url=http://asiguwahaticircle.gov.in/publication/Chaaideo%20maidams.pdf }}</ref> Officers called Maidam Phukans and guards called Maidamiya were appointed to protect and maintain the Maidams.
+The structural construction and the process of royal burials are explained in historical documents called ''Chang-Rung Phukanor [[Buranji]]'', which detail even the articles that were buried. Later excavations under the Archaeological Survey of India found some of the {{transl|as|maidams}} previously defiled,<ref>{{Harvcol|Dutta|Das|2003}}</ref> with the articles mentioned in the Buranji missing. Many of the {{transl|as|maidams}} were excavated and looted, most famously under the Mughal general [[Mir Jumla II|Mir Jumla]] who had occupied [[Garhgaon]] briefly in the 17th century, and by the British after 1826.
-Since the time of [[Rajeswar Singha]], the Ahom kings took to cremation and performed their funeral ceremonies according to Vedic rites.
+In the past, when any king or a warrior died in a battle, their severed heads were brought and buried here. When the [[Chutia kingdom]] fell to the Ahoms in 1524, the heads of the Chutia king and his son were also buried in the tomb of Charaideo.<ref>Barua, G.C, "Ahom Buranji, p. 57</ref>
-The structural construction and the process of royal burials are explained in historical documents called ''Chang-Rung Phukanor [[Buranji]]'', which detail even the articles that were buried. Later excavations under the Archaeological Survey of India found some of the {{transl|as|maidams}} previously defiled,<ref>{{Harvcol|Dutta|Das|2003}}</ref> with the articles mentioned in the Buranji missing. Many of the {{transl|as|maidams}} were excavated and looted, most famously under the Mughal general [[Mir Jumla II|Mir Jumla]] who had occupied [[Garhgaon]] briefly in the 17th century, and the British after 1826.
+[[File:Charaideo_Moidams_image_,Assam.jpg|thumb|Charaideo Maidams ,Assam]]
 == Excavation ==
 [[File:Maidam's of Ahom Rulers.jpg|thumb|Maidam No.2 excavated between 2000-02, it can either be said as the Maidam of [[Pramatta Singha]] or [[Rajeswar Singha]] according to the dating.]]
-Being famous for its vault treasure Maidams also attracted many plunderes from Mughals, British to even local people, who have plundered the maidams multiple times. The earlier stekch of Maidams was made by 1848 by Serjeant C.Clayton who superintendent an excavation of Maidam in the 1840s now, identified as the maidam of Prime Minister [[Purnanada Burhagohain]].{{cn|date=May 2023}} Clayton and his team found rings, silver toothpick case, ear ornaments, goblets, gold lime container etc. In 1905, one Maidam was excavated under the surveillance of many Ahom princes, but nothing is known thereafter.
+Being famous for its vault treasure Maidams also attracted many plunderers from Mughals, British to even local people, who have plundered the maidams multiple times. The earliest sketch of Maidam was made by 1848 by Serjeant C.Clayton who superintendent an excavation of a Maidam in the 1840s.
-In 2000-02, [[Archaeological Survey of India]], Guwahati circle excavated Maidam No. 2. It retained the characteristics of an full fledged Maidam. The Maidam vault and covering earthen mound was made out of burned bricks, encircled by an octagonal boundary wall. There was an hole at the roof of the Maidam indicated it was robbed earlier. The arched shape door of the maidam was found on the western side after it was excavated, which was originally covered with bricks and stone masonry. Though already robbed it still yielded several artifacts including skeleton remains of 5 individuals,  ivory  decorative pieces , several pieces of wooden objects (including a [[Xorai]] designed at the shape of a pillar), ivory panel depicting royal Ahom insignia,  carvings of elephants, peacock and floral motifs etc. The exact dating of this Maidam couldn't be done, but it is estimated at first half of 18th century.<ref name=":1" />
+In 2000-02, [[Archaeological Survey of India]], Guwahati circle excavated Maidam No. 2. It retained the characteristics of a full-fledged Maidam. The Maidam vault and covering earthen mound was made out of burned bricks, and encircled by an octagonal boundary wall. There was a hole at the roof of the Maidam indicating it was robbed earlier. The arched-shaped door of the maidam was found on the western side after it was excavated, which was originally covered with bricks and stone masonry. Though already robbed it still yielded several artefacts including skeleton remains of 5 individuals, ivory decorative pieces, several pieces of wooden objects (including a [[Xorai]] designed at the shape of a pillar), an ivory panel depicting royal Ahom insignia,  carvings of elephants, peacock and floral motifs etc. The exact dating of this Maidam couldn't be done, but it is estimated at the first half of the 18th century.<ref name=":1" />
-== Gallery ==
-<gallery>
-File:Maidams (N-AS-24).jpg|Maidam No.24
-File:Charaideo Maidam of Ahom Kings at Charaideo in Sivasagar, Assam 5.jpg|A looted Maidam, view from the top
-File:Moidam..jpg|Unidentified Maidam
-File:Maidam (burial mound) of the last Ahom King Purandar Singha- Rajamaidam, Jorhat.JPG|Maidam of last Ahom king [[Purandar Singha]] and his son Kameswar Singha beside him
-File:Fakuwa dol temple.jpg|Fakuwa dol misinterpreted to be the maidam of [[Joymoti Konwari]].
-File:Lachit Barphukan's maidam.JPG|[[Lachit Barphukan]] Maidam at Jorhat
-</gallery>
 ==Notes==
@@ Line 75: / Line 78: @@
   | accessdate = 2007-12-06 }}
 * {{cite journal |last1=Terweil |first1=B J |title=Tai Funeral Customs: Towards a Reconstruction of Archaic-Tai Ceremonies |journal=Anthropos |volume=74 |number=3/4 |year=1979 |pages=393–432 |jstor=40460011}}
+* {{cite book | last=Choudhury | first=Dr Satabdi Roy | title=Amazing Assam | publisher=BFC Publications | date=2022-03-26 | isbn=978-93-5509-778-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-URmEAAAQBAJ}}
 {{refend}}
 ==External links==
+{{wiktionary|𑜉𑜩𑜓𑜝𑜪}}
 {{commons category|Group of four Maidams}}
 * [http://dibrugarh.nic.in/imptplace.html#Barbarua%20Maidam Moidams in Dibrugarh District, Assam]
 * [http://jorhat.gov.in/places_of_interest.htm#lachit Lachit Moidam] The Moidam of [[Lachit Borphukan]].
 * [https://web.archive.org/web/20100917210839/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060804/asp/guwahati/story_6568023.asp Multi-crore rupee project to give facelift to Ahom maidams] ''The Telegraph'', August 4, 2006.
+{{World Heritage Sites in India}}
+{{coord missing|Assam}}
 [[Category:Monuments and memorials in India]]
@@ Line 87: / Line 96: @@
 [[Category:Tumuli]]
 [[Category:Tai history]]
-[[Category:Assam]]
 [[Category:Pyramids in Asia]]
 [[Category:Tombs in India]]
 [[Category:Tourism in India]]
-[[Category:History of India]]
+[[Category:World Heritage Sites in India]]
-[[Category:World Heritage Tentative List for India]]
+[[Category:Tourist attractions in Assam]]

v t e World Heritage Sites in India
Central	Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka Khajuraho Group of Monuments Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi
East	Darjeeling Himalayan Railway^ Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara Santiniketan Sun Temple, Konark Sundarbans National Park
North	Agra Fort Fatehpur Sikri Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area Humayun's Tomb, Delhi Keoladeo National Park Kalka–Shimla railway^ Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks Qutub Minar and its Monuments, Delhi Red Fort Complex Taj Mahal The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement Complexe du Capitole
Northeast	Kaziranga National Park Khangchendzonga National Park Manas Wildlife Sanctuary Moidams – the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty
South	Great Living Chola Temples Airavatesvara Temple Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur Group of Monuments at Hampi Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram Group of Monuments at Pattadakal Nilgiri Mountain Railway^ Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas Chennakeshava Temple Hoysaleswara Temple Keshava Temple Western Ghats
West	Ajanta Caves Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Churches and convents of Goa Dholavira:a Harappan city Elephanta Caves Ellora Caves Hill Forts of Rajasthan Amer Fort Chittor Fort Gagron Fort Jaisalmer Fort Kumbhalgarh Ranthambore Fort Historic City of Ahmadabad Jaipur City, Rajasthan Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen's Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur Western Ghats Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
^part of Mountain Railways of India