At the mounds of the kings
- POSTED ON: 20 Aug, 2024
- TOTAL VIEWS: 67 Views
- POSTED BY: R. Krithika | Text: Rohini Ramakrishnan
- ARTICLE POINTS: 150 Points
Have you heard of the “pyramids of Assam”? This is the name given to the maidams of Charaideo, which were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in July under the cultural property category. The maidams are burial mounds, under which lie the royalty and nobility of a dynasty that ruled Assam from the 13th to the early 19th centuries. Belonging to the Great Tai group, the Ahoms were largely responsible for bringing political, economic and cultural stability to the region.
While maidams are found in many districts of upper Assam, the ones at Charaideo contain the graves of the royals. Chau-lung-Siu-ka-pha, the first Ahom king, was buried at Charaideo and it became the custom to bury all royal family members here. Since the Ahoms ruled Assam for around 600 years, Charaideo became a sacred place.
A maidam is shaped like a hemisphere on the outside and the size depended on the status of the dead person. Most maidams have a vault where the remains were kept, an earthen mound to cover the chamber with a structure for annual offerings, and finally a boundary wall with a gateway in the west.
According to chronicles of the time, the kings were buried along with articles of daily use, ornaments, weapons and other items. There are also references to attendants being buried alive along with the dead royals. However, this practice was banned by Rudra Singha, who became king in 1696.
A special officer known as Changrunk Phukan was appointed to construct and maintain the royal maidams. There was also a group of guards, Maidamiya, who protected the mounds.
In the 18th century, the Ahoms came under the influence of Hinduism and began to cremate their dead. But the priests and the clans of royal bodyguards continue with the burial system.
Since they were known to hold the treasures of kings, the maidams were often plundered and looted. In 1840, an excavation conducted by the Asiatic Society of Bengal found silver and gold artefacts such as rings, earrings, plates and more. While the Charaideo maidams are protected, the others are at the mercy of elements and people.
Quick facts
The Ahoms belong to the Tai peoples, who are today found across south China and southeast Asia.
The word maidam originates from the Tai-Ahom Phrang Mai Dam. The first two words mean “to bury” and the last “spirits of the dead”.
Charaideo also originates from the Tai-Ahom Che Rai Doi or shining city on the hills.
Sukaphaa was the founder of the Ahom kingdom and established his capital at Charaideo.